Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of entry passages down to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
