Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey added. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the US military executed what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
