British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
