British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several entry passages down to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their courage," Healey commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate militants who threaten our safety, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
