RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several entry passages down to the facility... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their valour," he commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
