Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication 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 assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, highlights how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
