Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several entry passages providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
