Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of entry passages down to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who endanger our security, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
