Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," he commented. "Including them were numerous British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
