Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of entry passages down to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this mission for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
