RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several entry passages leading to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," he commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
