Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of access tunnels leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
