Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages down to the facility... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
