UK and France launch joint airstrikes on Islamic State facility in Syria
This operation aims to prevent any resurgence of ISIS in a region where its fighters remain active despite its military defeat in 2019.
The United Kingdom and France conducted joint airstrikes on Saturday evening targeting an underground Islamic State facility in central Syria, the British Ministry of Defence said. The operation focused on a site in the mountainous area north of Palmyra, a region long associated with the militant group’s presence.
British officials said the location was believed to be used for storing weapons and explosives. UK aircraft deployed Paveway IV precision-guided munitions, destroying several tunnel entrances leading into the complex.
“Initial assessments indicate the target was successfully struck,” the ministry said, adding that no civilian casualties were identified and that all aircraft returned safely to base. France’s specific role in the operation was not disclosed.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey described the strike as a demonstration of Britain’s commitment to working with allies to prevent any resurgence of Islamic State, also known as Daesh, and to counter its violent ideology in the region.
Although the group was militarily defeated in 2019 after losing control of large areas of Syria and Iraq, Islamic State cells remain active, particularly in Syria’s desert regions, where they continue to stage occasional attacks against local and international forces.
The latest operation follows U.S. strikes in late December against what Washington described as Islamic State strongholds in Syria. Those attacks reportedly killed at least five militants, according to a monitoring group, amid heightened security concerns after an earlier assault that claimed the lives of three American nationals. The French-British airstrikes reflect ongoing efforts by Western allies to prevent the group from regaining strength.