Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of numerous UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
