RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," Healey said. "They were part of a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
In December, the US military executed what it called a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
