Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of entry passages down to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out militants who threaten our way of life, highlights how British military are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" against Daesh sites in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
