British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts down to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
