Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the facility... early reports are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "They were part of numerous UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
