RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several entry passages leading to the depot... early reports are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after 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 involved in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were numerous UK service members stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
