British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of approach shafts down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as Daesh - established militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, shows how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
