British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of access tunnels down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their courage," he added. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove militants who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
