Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of entry passages leading to the facility... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their valour," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
