British and French aircraft have carried out a joint strike on an underground facility in Syria that had been occupied by Islamic State, the UK Ministry of Defence has said.

Guided bombs were used to target access tunnels to the site, in the mountainous region near the ancient city of Palmyra in the centre of the country, on Saturday evening.

“Initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully,” the ministry said in a statement. Typhoon FGR4 combat jets were used to bomb the target, supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The facility had probably been used to store weapons and explosives, and the surrounding area was devoid of civilians, the ministry said.

The defence secretary, John Healey, said the UK was determined to “stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies” to “stamp out any resurgence” of IS.

He thanked members of the armed forces involved in the operation “to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life”.

Western aircraft have been conducting patrols to stop a resurgence of the Islamist militant group that ruled parts of Syria until 2019.