RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of entry passages providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," Healey added. "They were among thousands of British troops deployed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
