British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over the festive period. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
