British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of entry passages providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
