British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
