British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were among thousands of British troops stationed over the festive period. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
