Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several entry passages down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
