British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several entry passages leading to the site... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "They were among numerous British personnel deployed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
