Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
