British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
