Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of British forces participating in this mission for their skill and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
