British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several approach shafts leading to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
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 assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
