British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
