RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," he commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
