Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels down to the facility... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over the festive period. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
