RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," Healey added. "Including them were a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
