British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of entry passages down to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," Healey added. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
