Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of entry passages leading to the depot... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this operation for their skill and their bravery," he commented. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
