Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the depot... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this operation for their skill and their courage," Healey commented. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
