RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of access tunnels leading to the facility... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were numerous British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN estimates IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
