RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he said. "Including them were numerous UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
