RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: December 2018
Updated 29 April 2024
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Monday 3 December 2018
The Syrian Democratic Forces encountered Daesh positions a couple of miles to the north of Hajin on Monday 3 December. A pair of Tornados supported them, delivering two attacks in rapid succession. The first attack simultaneously targeted an armoured bulldozer and a group of Daesh in the open; although dropped through cloud, both Paveways were reported by the SDF to have struck their targets accurately. The same was true of the Paveway IV released shortly afterwards in the second attack, against a tunnel in which a number of terrorists were concealed.
Wednesday 5 December 2018
On Wednesday 5 December, Typhoons supported an SDF advance north-west of Hajin. The SDF came into contact with two Daesh positions, but heavy cloud gave the terrorists no protection and both targets were successfully struck with Paveway IVs. Typhoons conducted a further strike in the same area the following day, accounting for a further terrorist position.
Friday 7 December 2018
A Tornado flight was directed onto a group of terrorists, along with a number of vehicles, north-west of Hajin, on Friday 7 December. Once again, persistent cloud complicated the attack, but a Paveway IV was guided accurately onto the group and their vehicles. North of Hajin, the SDF reported being in a firefight with two Daesh defensive positions; Typhoons worked closely with the SDF to eliminate the threat from both targets, hitting them with Paveways.
Saturday 8 December 2018
Two more Daesh positions nearby were bombed by Typhoons on Saturday 8 December.
Sunday 9 December 2018
On Sunday 9 December, Typhoons used a single Paveway IV to destroy a Daesh-held building on the northern outskirts of Hajin.
Monday 10 December 2018
With the SDF having now advanced into Hajin itself, a Reaper provided prolonged close air support to them on Monday 10 December. Its crew conducted three attacks with the Reaper’s Hellfire missiles against Daesh terrorists engaged in often close-quarters combat with the SDF, and provided surveillance support to four attacks by other coalition aircraft, including an attack by a pair of RAF Typhoons which destroyed a Daesh strong-point.
Tuesday 11 December 2018
Another Reaper continued to support the SDF on Tuesday 11 December; its crew identified a group of Daesh with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades, firing at the SDF, and engaged them with a Hellfire missile. The Reaper’s crew then observed another group of terrorists repositioning after a firefight with the SDF, and caught them in the open with a second Hellfire. Meanwhile, a coalition surveillance aircraft had identified a Daesh mortar team operating under cover of trees, and was able to direct the Reaper onto this target, which was successfully attacked with a GBU-12 guided bomb.
Wednesday 12 December 2018
Reaper support to the SDF continued into Wednesday 12 December. Several terrorists were spotted in a treeline, and successfully targeted with a GBU-12. The Reaper’s crew then observed extremists loading a truck with weapons and ammunition; they and the vehicle were struck with a Hellfire missile. Two more Hellfire attacks were carried out during the patrol, one hitting a group of terrorists firing at the SDF, the other striking a number of terrorists as they held a meeting behind the front line. Tornados were also active over Hajin, and they carried out a successful attack with three Paveway IVs against a Daesh operating base within the town.
Thursday 13 December 2018
Tornado and Typhoon flights provided close air support to the SDF as they fought to clear Daesh from areas of eastern and southern Hajin on Thursday 13 December. Very close coordination was required between our aircraft and the SDF since the latter were engaged in close-range combat with the terrorists; two attacks by the Typhoons accounted for five Daesh defensive positions, whilst three attacks by the Tornados dealt with a further four terrorist strongpoints.
Friday 14 December 2018
On Friday 14 December, with the main town of Hajin reported to be largely liberated, a Reaper supported the SDF as they consolidated their control. Its crew conducted two successful attacks with Hellfire missiles against groups of terrorists observed south of the town. To the south-east, Tornados meanwhile assisted the SDF as they advanced down the main road towards Abu Kamal; Paveway IVs were used to eliminated a Daesh sniper team and a strongpoint, as well as cratering a road to prevent the terrorists moving up truck-bombs to attack a newly liberated area. Typhoons also provided close air support to the SDF, conducting attacks which struck six Daesh strongpoints, all of which had been firing on the SDF, as well as an armoured ZSU-23-4 anti-aircraft vehicle.
Saturday 15 December 2018
The SDF continued to push south-east from Hajin on Saturday 15 December: a Reaper supported a coalition airstrike, then employed Hellfire missiles to engage three groups of terrorists, including one group loading weapons and equipment onto a truck. A GBU-12 guided bomb was also used to target terrorists who were sniping at the SDF from a building. Tornados also patrolled the area, and bombed a Daesh position south of Hajin.
Sunday 16 December 2018
The following day, a Reaper spotted a large group of extremists advancing towards the SDF. The Reaper helped disrupt this attempted attack with a series of three Hellfire and one GBU-12 engagements – among the targets struck was a light machine-gun team firing on the SDF – and also provided surveillance support to other coalition aircraft. A second Reaper worked with a pair of Typhoons over a nearby area; the Reaper struck a number of Daesh with a Hellfire, whilst the Typhoons conducted two attacks, hitting four Daesh-held buildings.
Sunday 16 December 2018
With Daesh continuing to lose ground, it was necessary to prevent them moving men and equipment, most particularly their favoured truck-bombs, along a road towards the SDF; a pair of Typhoons cratered the road with Paveway IVs on Wednesday 26 December. The Typhoons then joined a Tornado flight in destroying three Daesh-occupied buildings: the Typhoons dealt with one target, the Tornados struck the other two. The Tornados remained on station to provide further assistance if required by the SDF, and subsequently attacked a further two buildings from which the terrorists were firing.
Monday 17 December 2018
Typhoons conducted further attacks south-east of Hajin on Monday 17 December. The SDF advance ran into a series of Daesh defensive positions, but in the course of three separate Paveway IV attacks, the Typhoons were able to strike accurately through heavy cloud to hit five Daesh-held buildings, as well as a group of terrorists caught in the open. In each case, the weapons had to be delivered with great care and precision given the proximity of the SDF to the targets, with which they were engaged in firefights.
Wednesday 19 December 2018
With the SDF pushing south-east from Hajin, Tornado GR4s provided close air support on Wednesday 19 December. The SDF encountered a truck-bomb concealed inside a building, and took cover whilst the Tornados dealt with the threat. A single Paveway IV guided bomb, on target, allowed them to continue their advance.
Friday 21 December 2018
Further support was rendered on Friday 21 December by a Reaper and another flight of Tornados. The Reaper’s crew successfully used a Hellfire missile against a small group of Daesh as they moved across country, whilst the Tornados destroyed two workshops which were producing improvised explosive devices.
Saturday 22 December 2018
The following day, a Reaper spotted terrorists manning a heavy weapon and engaged them with a Hellfire which scored a direct hit. The Reaper then provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike on a Daesh-held building nearby. Tornados were also active south-east of Hajin, conducting Paveway IV attacks which destroyed a heavy machine-gun position and two other Daesh strong-points.
Sunday 23 December 2018
A Daesh terrorist was struck by a Hellfire from an RAF Reaper in eastern Syria, north of Abu Kamal.
Monday 24 December 2018
Further targets were identified on Monday 24 December, when Tornados, as ever supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, bombed two terrorist-held buildings in the path of the SDF advance.
Thursday 27 December 2018
On Thursday 27 December, Typhoons bombed two more buildings held by Daesh, whilst Tornados hit a third.
Friday 28 December 2018
Coalition aircraft remain available to support the Iraqi security forces as and when required, to ensure Iraq remains free of Daesh. Intelligence established that a terrorist stockpile of weapons was concealed deep in the western deserts of Anbar province, and two Tornados were tasked with its destruction on Friday 28 December. This was accomplished using a pair of Paveway IVs.
Monday 31 December 2018
A number of terrorists were tracked to tunnels hidden beneath an extensive palm grove some twenty miles north of Baghdad; Typhoons carried out a successful attack, again with two Paveway IVs, against the tunnels and the terrorists within.