British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to remove militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
