British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our security, highlights how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military executed what it called a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
