RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, highlights how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
