Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several entry passages leading to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate militants who endanger our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
