Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their bravery," Healey added. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
