Guidance

RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January to June 2024

Updated 31 July 2024

21 April 2024

RAF Typhoons struck a rocket launcher in northwest Iraq

On the evening of Sunday 21 April, a pair of Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, flying as part of the long-standing global coalition, conducted a routine patrol over Syria and Iraq as part of Operation Shader. Rockets were observed being launched in northwest Iraq against coalition forces. Acting rapidly in defence against this attack, our aircraft successfully employed a single Paveway IV, precision guided bomb to destroy the rocket launcher system.

18 June 2024

Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to fly regular armed reconnaissance patrols as part of the coalition efforts to ensure that residual elements of the Daesh terrorist organisation are unable to re-establish themselves in Syria or Iraq.

On Tuesday 18 June 2024, the crew of an RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known Daesh terrorist moving on foot in an area of the Syrian desert. Having confirmed that there were no civilians in the area might be placed at risk, the Reaper’s crew conducted a successful strike on this individual.