Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces executed what it termed a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
