British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
