RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military executed what it called a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
