UK and France conduct joint airstrikes on Islamic State target in Syria

British and French warplanes carried out coordinated airstrikes on an underground facility in central Syria linked to Islamic State (IS, also known as Daesh or ISIS) on Saturday evening, the UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The operation targeted a subterranean site in mountainous terrain north of the ancient city of Palmyra, identified through intelligence as a former IS storage hub for weapons and explosives. The remote location was assessed as free of civilian habitation, with no reports of civilian casualties.

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 jets, supported by a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, operated alongside French aircraft. Precision-guided Paveway IV bombs were used to strike multiple access tunnels leading to the facility. Initial battle damage assessments indicate the strikes were successful, and all aircraft returned safely.

The joint mission is part of ongoing international efforts to prevent a resurgence of IS, which lost its territorial caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2019 but maintains residual cells and infrastructure.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said: “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. They were among thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year.”

Western forces continue to patrol Syrian airspace to counter remaining IS threats.