British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several access tunnels leading to the site... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, shows how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
