RAF and French Jets Destroy Secret ISIS Arms Cache

DAMASCUS — In a major joint operation, the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and the French Air Force successfully targeted and destroyed a hidden underground weapons storage facility north of the ancient city of Palmyra. The facility, used by remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS), was identified through intensive intelligence analysis as a hub for arms and explosives.

The mission, which took place late on Saturday, involved RAF Typhoon FGR4 jets supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker. Operating alongside French aircraft, the pilots utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to penetrate and collapse access tunnels leading to the mountain facility.

The MoD said no civilians were harmed in the strikes

UK Defence Secretary John Healey praised the “professionalism and courage” of the crews, noting that the operation proves the UK’s determination to prevent any resurgence of the group’s “dangerous and violent ideologies.”

Initial post-strike assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully. Importantly, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the area was devoid of civilian habitation, and no harm was reported to the local population. This raid follows a “massive strike” by U.S. forces last month, dubbed “Operation Hawkeye Strike,” which was a retaliatory response to an ISIS ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.