Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
