British and French warplanes struck an underground ISIS facility said to be storing weapons and explosives in Syria’s Homs province Saturday evening.
In a statement, the U.K. said British Typhoon FGR4 jets, armed with Paveway IV bombs and supported by a Voyager tanker, carried out the strike alongside French aircraft. Initial reports indicate the attack was successful with no civilian casualties.
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
“This action shows our U.K. leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East,” Defence Secretary John Healey said.
Healey thanked the troops involved in the operation, noting they were among the thousands deployed across the U.K. and overseas over the Christmas period.
The @RoyalAirForce have continued to conduct patrols over Syria to help prevent any attempted resurgence of the Daesh terrorist movement.
The RAF joined French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground facility on the evening of Saturday 3 January: https://t.co/k3pV3OVvIi pic.twitter.com/mk9XvnPMpH
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 3, 2026
There was no immediate comment from Syria’s government on the strikes. Syria joined the anti-ISIS coalition led by the U.S. late last year.
Despite its 2019 defeat in Syria, ISIS sleeper cells continue to carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq, where the extremists once declared their caliphate. U.N. experts estimate ISIS still commands between 5,000 and 7,000 members across its former strongholds.
Last month, the Trump administration launched military strikes in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters and weapons sites in retaliation for an ambush near Palmyra that killed two U.S. troops and an American civilian interpreter.
The U.S. Central Command reported that ISIS inspired at least 11 plots or attacks targeting the U.S. in 2025. Operations over the past year have killed more than 20 ISIS fighters and detained over 300.
