British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of entry passages down to the depot... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
