RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, located using intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
