British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," Healey commented. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
