RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," Healey added. "Including them were numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an ambush killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
