Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts down to the site... early reports are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
