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 Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several entry passages down to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of numerous British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, shows how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
