RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the depot... early reports suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he said. "Including them were a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
