British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of access tunnels leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey added. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate militants who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
