In a coordinated military effort, the United Kingdom and France have executed joint airstrikes against targets associated with the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. The operation, which took place on the night of Saturday, January 3, 2026, was described by both nations as a necessary action to prevent the jihadist organization from regaining strength and posing a renewed threat to regional security.
Target and Execution of the Strikes
The British Ministry of Defence confirmed that Royal Air Force aircraft worked in tandem with French forces to strike a specific underground facility located north of the historic city of Palmyra. According to their statement, this site was likely used by ISIS, also known as Daesh, to store weapons and explosives. The ministry emphasized that the targeted area was devoid of civilian habitation, and initial assessments indicated no risk to civilians from the bombing.
Video footage released by the British Ministry of Defence from January 3, 2025, showed a Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft conducting air-to-air refueling during a joint patrol with French aircraft over Syria, highlighting the ongoing nature of the allied cooperation in the region.
Strategic Context and International Coalition
The French armed forces stated that the action was conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the ongoing U.S.-led international coalition campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. In a post on the social media platform X, French authorities declared that the strikes were aimed at positions held by the terrorist group.
"Preventing the resurgence of Daesh is a major issue for the security of the region," the French statement read, underscoring the strategic objective behind the operation. Despite being territorially defeated in Syria in 2019, ISIS maintains a lingering presence, particularly within the country's vast desert areas, making continued counter-terrorism pressure essential.
Regional Security and Recent Events
The operation occurs within a complex and evolving security landscape in Syria. The context includes recent leadership changes and ongoing instability. The strikes also follow a deadly incident in Palmyra just last month, where a lone ISIS gunman attacked American personnel, killing two U.S. soldiers and a U.S. civilian. In retaliation for that attack, U.S. forces had previously struck dozens of ISIS targets across Syria.
Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its ancient ruins, was once under the control of Islamic State fighters, symbolizing the group's former territorial ambitions. The latest joint action by two key NATO allies demonstrates a continued commitment to ensuring the extremist network cannot reclaim such footholds or rebuild its operational capabilities.
