Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, 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 the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he added. "They were part of a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
