British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several access tunnels leading to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
