Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces participating in this operation for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many UK service members stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
