British and French forces carried out a coordinated strike on Islamic State sites in central Syria, the UK said, hitting an underground weapons storage facility near Palmyra. The operation was carefully planned to avoid risk to civilians
The United Kingdom (UK) has confirmed it carried out a joint military operation with France targeting an Islamic State (IS) facility in central Syria. According toweapon the British Ministry of Defence, the strike was conducted on Saturday night and hit an underground site near the ancient city of Palmyra. The location, officials said, was believed to have been used by IS to stockpile weapons and explosives.
“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.
Target believed to be weapons storage facility
British officials said the targeted site had been carefully assessed before the operation, with particular attention paid to avoiding civilian harm.
“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 ministry further added that there was no indication the strike had placed civilians at risk, noting that the bombing north of Palmyra was conducted in a sparsely populated area.
The operation comes in the backdrop of the ongoing threat posed by IS cells in Syria, despite the group losing control of its self-declared “caliphate” in 2019. While no longer holding territory, IS continues to operate in remote desert regions, launching sporadic attacks and maintaining underground networks.
Palmyra’s strategic and symbolic importance
Palmyra, known globally for its Unesco-listed ruins, has long held both strategic and symbolic significance. The ancient city fell under IS control at the height of the group’s power, with militants destroying several historic monuments before being pushed out.
The region remains volatile. Just last month, Washington said a lone IS gunman in Palmyra carried out an attack on American personnel, killing two US soldiers and a US civilian. In response, US forces said they struck dozens of IS targets across Syria.
Saturday’s joint UK-France strike is part of a wider effort by Western allies to keep pressure on IS and stop the group from regrouping or carrying out fresh attacks.
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