Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of British forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were numerous UK service members stationed over the festive period. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
