RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over the holidays. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
