British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several approach shafts leading to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their bravery," he added. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, after an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
