British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
