Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts down to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among a great many UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it called a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
