British and French fighter jets carried out coordinated air strikes on underground bunker tunnels used by the Islamic State (IS) in the mountains near Palmyra, Syria.
The operation targeted a facility used by the extremist organization to store weapons and explosives.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, the attack used an aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force.Typhoon FGR4Dropped by fighter planesPaveway IVPrecisely guide bombs. The mission received logistical support from Voyager air tankers, which were responsible for aerial refueling.
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Preliminary assessments indicate that the target was successfully hit and underground infrastructure used by the terrorist group was destroyed. British authorities said the operation significantly reduced the Islamic State’s ability to fight in the region.
British Defense Secretary John Healy said that this operation strengthened the UK’s commitment to regional security. According to him, the offensive demonstrates Britain’s leadership and determination to act alongside its allies to prevent any attempts by the extremist group to regroup in the Middle East.
The United States currently leads an international coalition aimed at fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Although the group has lost much of its territory, it maintains active militants in both countries, continues to launch attacks and uses remote areas to regroup.
In December last year, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched Operation Hawkeye Strike, launching a large-scale offensive against Islamic State strongholds in Syria. The operation, which involved fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery support, aimed to weaken the group’s remaining combat cells.
Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility; whilst detailed assessment is now underway, initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully. pic.twitter.com/IPBOv3rCeR
— Ministry of Defence
(@DefenceHQ) January 3, 2026
(@DefenceHQ) Source and picture: X @DefenceHQ｜Crown Copyright. This content is produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
