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, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he said. "They were part of numerous British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our security, highlights how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
