Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
