Bombing campaign in Syria set to last for years, Defence Secretary Michael

“We are already flying reconnaissance missions over Syria”.

David Cameron will seek MPs’ backing to launch British military action against Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria in the House of Commons today.

Mr Fallon said the operation had struck a “very real blow” at the oil revenues on which the terrorists depended.

Tornados carry Brimstone missiles which are said to have greater accuracy, and there is speculation that Typhoons could bomb Iraq to free up Tornados to hit targets in Syria.

“These are the aircraft that the coalition have been asking for”.

The Tornado jets are based at Britain’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus, from which they flew to Syria to conduct the raids shortly after the result of the vote was known.

“Instead I believe that we need to focus our efforts on the peace conferences and a diplomatic resolution, not as a political gesture but as a serious contribution, in order to fill the power vacuum that has allowed Daesh to develop and thrive, and although it will not be easy, I believe that if we persevere, then we will succeed and deliver a solution to the region”.

Before the attacks, pilots used the aircrafts’ sensors to confirm “no civilians were in the proximity of the targets”, it stated.

Meg Hillier, Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, also chose to toe her party leader’s line as she voted against air strikes in Syria.

“All four Tornados have now successfully returned and we will be assessing later this morning the actual damage done”.

MPs voted by 397 to 223 – a majority of 174 – in favour of extending British action against IS into its Syrian strongholds.

They included shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn who rallied support to strike the “fascists” of IS in a powerful closing speech which drew a rare round of applause from MPs on both sides of the House.

Mr Fallon said it would not be right for the United Kingdom to leave the bombing to other airforces, echoing earlier comments that Britain should not “outsource” its security.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense says its jets struck at oil facilities in Syria, hours after Parliament voted for Britain to join allies in bombarding the Islamic State group.

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Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire have taken to the tarmac in preparation for tonight’s parliamentary vote. “Quite simply the case for bombing Syria has not been made”.

A Eurofighter Typhoon jet takes off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland on Thursday.. “The additional eight aircraft being sent to (RAF air base) Akrotiri, are now in the air and on their way”, he told BBC radio.

“There is a clear link between those ISIL/Daesh butchers running terrorist cells across the so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria and the psychopaths who murdered 130 innocent people in Paris just weeks ago”.