British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of access tunnels leading to the site... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
