The British Ministry of Defence announced that the UK and France conducted a joint airstrike on the evening of Saturday, targeting an underground facility in Syria previously occupied and most likely used by ISIS (Daesh) to store ammunition.
“Royal Air Force aircraft have completed successful strikes against Daesh in a joint operation with France,” the ministry said in a statement, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
“This facility had been occupied by Daesh, most likely to store weapons and explosives. The area around the facility is devoid of any civilian habitation,” the statement added.
The operation involved British Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets, supported by a Voyager KC2 refuelling tanker, operating alongside French aircraft.
British Typhoon fighter jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike multiple access tunnels leading to the facility. Initial assessments indicate the target was successfully neutralized, though a detailed damage evaluation is ongoing.
The UK Ministry of Defence emphasized that the surrounding area had no civilian habitation, ensuring no risk to civilians. It confirmed that all aircraft returned safely to base.
This strike aligns with ongoing Western efforts, led by patrols under operations such as the UK’s contribution to Operation Shader, to prevent any resurgence of ISSI following its defeat in 2019 at the Battle of Baghuz.
Defence Secretary John Healey hailed the mission as the UK’s demonstration and leadership, 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.”
The joint Anglo-Franco airstrikes follow recent American attacks against ISIS targets in Syria, highlighting continued international operations against ISIS terrorists.
While the UK Ministry of Defence’s official statement confirmed the deployment of Typhoon FGR4 jets, the French aircraft used in the operations were not named. They were referred to as the French contribution simply as “French aircraft”.
The French armed forces said in a statement on X that as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the two NATO allies “carried out strikes against positions of the terrorist group Islamic State”.
“Preventing the resurgence of Daesh is a major issue for the security of the region,” it added.
Based on France’s current operational capabilities for long-range, precision strike missions in the Middle East, Paris deploys Dassault Rafale jets for these roles.
The Rafale is France’s primary frontline combat warplane, equipped for air-to-ground strikes with precision-guided munitions, and it has been the mainstay of French strikes against ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq since 2015.
Palmyra, home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins, was once controlled by the jihadist fighters. Last month, Washington said a lone IS gunman in Palmyra attacked American personnel, killing two US soldiers and a US civilian.
By Agence France-Presse and ET Online Desk
