RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several access tunnels leading to the facility... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were thousands of UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove militants who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, after an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
