British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of thousands of UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove militants who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military executed what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
