British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove militants who threaten our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
