RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," he said. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
