RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," Healey said. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
