RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of access tunnels leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.
