Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts down to the site... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
