RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of approach shafts down to the depot... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "Including them were thousands of UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
