In mid-June, Habforce joined the campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria. Its role was to advance across the desert from Iraq and capture Palmyra, while a direct attack (Operation Exporter) was made from Palestine towards Damascus by a force including part of 1st Cavalry Division. 4th Cavalry Brigade's advance with Habforce was continually harried by Vichy Air Force attacks and it lost a lot of men and vehicles. After the fall of Damascus and Palmyra, the Syria–Lebanon campaign ended on 14 July with the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre.