UK and France Launch Coordinated Airstrike on ISIL Weapons Cache Near Palmyra

4th January 2026 at 12:45 PM

1 minute read

ISIL has been more active in Syria and beyond in recent weeks and months

In a joint military operation, British and French forces targeted an underground facility in Syria believed to be storing weapons for the ISIL (ISIS) group, amid signs of the armed group’s renewed activity in the region.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence announced that Royal Air Force aircraft participated in the strikes alongside French allies on Saturday night, describing the action as a successful operation against Daesh – the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

According to the ministry’s statement, the site was located north of the historic city of Palmyra and was confirmed to be free of any civilian presence.

The strike comes as ISIL has shown increased activity in Syria and neighboring areas following a period of relative quiet. In late December, the United States military reported killing or capturing around 25 ISIL operatives during a series of operations over nine days in Syria, overseen by Central Command (CENTCOM).

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These U.S. actions followed the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in an ISIL attack on December 13, as well as broader strikes authorized shortly afterward.

Meanwhile, Turkiye has intensified its crackdown on the group. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported the arrest of 125 ISIL suspects across 25 provinces, including Ankara, in recent raids. This marked the third such operation in less than a week.

A separate confrontation in northwestern Turkiye resulted in the deaths of six suspected ISIL members and three police officers. Turkish authorities have also detained hundreds more suspects amid intelligence warnings of potential holiday-season attacks, echoing a deadly 2017 New Year’s assault on an Istanbul nightclub that claimed 39 lives.

ISIL continues to maintain sleeper cells in Turkiye and remains active in Syria, exploiting security gaps following the 2024 ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad after more than 13 years of civil war.