British and French air forces have conducted a coordinated airstrike on a suspected Islamic State weapons bunker hidden in the mountains north of Palmyra in central Syria.
Intelligence sources identified the underground site as a key storage area for munitions and explosives used by IS, also known as Daesh, which once dominated large areas of Syria and Iraq until its territorial defeat in 2019. Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 jets, supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft, operated alongside French planes late on Saturday, employing Paveway IV guided bombs to destroy access tunnels leading to the facility.
“Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility… initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully,” the MoD said.
No civilian casualties occurred during the operation, and all British aircraft returned safely to base, according to the Ministry of Defence. The mission underscores continued RAF patrols over Syria aimed at preventing any IS revival since the group’s final stand at the 2019 Battle of Baghuz.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey praised the personnel involved, stating, “This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East.”
“I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage,” Healey said.
“They were among thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
The United Nations estimates IS retains 5,000 to 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq, prompting sustained international efforts. This follows a major U.S. strike in December on IS targets near Palmyra after an ambush that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.