British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "Including them were thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove militants who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
