Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove militants who pose a risk to our safety, shows how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
