Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he added. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over the festive period. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
