RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: November 2018
Updated 16 December 2024
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Sunday 4 November 2018
On Sunday 4 November, a flight of Typhoon FGR4s used two Paveway IVs to crater a road near Hajin, lest Daesh attempt to move truck-bombs along it to hold up the Syrian Democratic Forces’ advance. The SDF meanwhile came up against four Daesh defensive positions in the area; these were all struck simultaneously by Paveway IVs dropped by Tornado GR4s through heavy cloud.
Wednesday 7 November 2018
Typhoons patrolled the Hajin area on Wednesday 7 November. A terrorist observation post was identified to the north-east of the town, and destroyed using a single Paveway.
Saturday 10 November 2018
On Saturday 10 November, a further Typhoon patrol was directed to attack a large building in Hajin, which had been confirmed to be a Daesh logistics facility and a supposed “safe house” for their extremists. A careful check was made of the surrounding area, and then, there being no signs of civilians nearby, two Paveway IVs were guided onto the target.
Monday 12 November 2018
A Daesh compound, which included an observation post keeping watch on the advancing SDF, was identified several miles to the north-east of Abu Kamal on Monday 12 November. A pair of Tornados attacked the compound with three Paveway IVs and successfully destroyed their targets within.
Thursday 15 November 2018
Further assistance was rendered to the SDF on Thursday 15 November by a Typhoon flight, which bombed in turn three Daesh positions on the banks of the Euphrates, north-west of Hajin.
Friday 16 November 2018
The following day, a Daesh armed truck was reported to be firing to the north of Hajin; Typhoons responded, and destroyed it with a direct hit from a Paveway IV. The Typhoons were then directed to a ruined building, next to a road, within which the terrorists had been spotted hiding a truck-bomb. A second Paveway was used against this target, producing a large explosion which confirmed that the truck-bomb had been successfully detonated before any civilians or SDF had been placed in danger.
Friday 23 November 2018
Royal Air Force aircraft have continued flying daily armed reconnaissance missions over Syria, striking Daesh targets when they are identified. On Friday 23 November, Syrian Democratic Forces attacking Daesh positions to the north and north-east of Hajin came into contact with several groups of terrorists in the open desert. Two Tornado GR4s and two Typhoon FGR4s provided close air support to the SDF; a blanket of cloud covered the area, but close coordination with the SDF and the precision of the Paveway IV bombs allowed our aircraft to conduct strikes through the cloud on seven Daesh targets, all successful, despite the often close proximity of the SDF to the enemy. Two Daesh armed trucks and a heavy machine-gun position were amongst the targets reported by the SDF to have been hit.
Saturday 24 November 2018
Similar close support was provided on Saturday 24 November, when the continuing difficult weather conditions did not prevent a flight of Typhoons from striking five groups of terrorists caught in the open, and a Tornado reconnaissance mission hitting a sixth.