RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of entry passages providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, highlights how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
