Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
