Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," Healey commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
In December, the US military executed what it called a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
