British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of entry passages down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister stated.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
