RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of numerous British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces carried out what it called a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
