RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of entry passages down to the facility... early reports are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
