RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation on an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," Healey added. "They were among a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
