Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several entry passages providing entry to the site... early reports suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of British forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he commented. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
