British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several entry passages providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were thousands of British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it called a "major assault" against Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
