Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of entry passages down to the facility... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over the holidays. This action, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
