Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
