RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several approach shafts down to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
