RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he said. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
