RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he commented. "They were part of a great many British troops deployed over the holidays. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
