British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages down to the facility... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
