British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were among a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
