Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of entry passages providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he added. "Including them were thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out militants who endanger our security, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
