British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign 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 fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," Healey added. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces executed what it called a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
