Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels down to the facility... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "major assault" on Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
