British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of British forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were numerous British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who threaten our safety, shows how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
