RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," he commented. "They were part of a great many British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
