The British Ministry of Defence announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF), in coordination with French forces, conducted airstrikes on an underground storage facility in central Syria on Saturday evening. The operation targeted a site located in a mountainous region north of Palmyra, in Homs province, which officials identified as a storage hub for Islamic State (IS) weapons and explosives.
The mission involved British Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets, supported by a Voyager refueling tanker. According to a ministry statement, the aircraft deployed Paveway IV guided bombs to target several access tunnels leading to the subterranean facility. While a formal damage assessment is currently being conducted, initial military reports indicate that the target was successfully engaged.
British Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the operation reflects a commitment to preventing an IS resurgence in the Middle East. The Ministry of Defence emphasized that the targeted area was confirmed to be clear of civilian habitation prior to the strike. There has been no immediate official response from the Syrian government, which joined the anti-IS coalition late last year.
The joint operation follows recent military activity by the United States in the same region. Last month, the U.S. administration launched strikes near Palmyra following an ambush that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members and a civilian interpreter. Despite the territorial defeat of the IS caliphate in 2019, United Nations experts estimate that between 5,000 and 7,000 members remain active in sleeper cells across Syria and Iraq.
