RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of entry passages down to the depot... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of British forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he added. "They were among numerous UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
