RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2026
Updated 13 January 2026
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Saturday 3 January 2026
Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to conduct patrols over Syria to help prevent any attempted resurgence of the Daesh terrorist movement following its military defeat at Baghuz Fawqani in March 2019. Careful intelligence analysis identified an underground facility, in the mountains some miles north of the ancient site of Palmyra. 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.
RAF Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker, therefore joined French aircraft in a joint strike on the underground facility on the evening of Saturday 3 January. 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. There is no indication of any risk having been posed to civilians by the strike, and all our aircraft returned safely.