RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... early reports indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and strong abroad."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
