RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" against Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.
