Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he added. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it called a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, following an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
