British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts down to the site... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
