British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
