RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels down to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," he said. "They were among thousands of UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
