United Kingdom joins air war against Syria

“We are going to need to be patient and persistent”.

The field “represents over 10 per cent of their potential income from oil”, the ministry statement said, adding: “Initial analysis of the operation indicates that the strikes were successful”.

He added: “This strikes a very real blow at the oil and the revenue on which the Daesh terrorists depend”.

Overall, 46 percent of British residents oppose the United Kingdom airstrikes against ISIL (known as Daesh in the Arab world) in Syria.

Critics say increased air strikes only play into the hands of the group, drawing western nations further into this intractable war.

The prime minister called for patience and persistence as RAF jets carried out their first air strikes in Syria – just hours after MPs voted to approve the bombing.

Cameron also refused to apologise to opposition MPs for reportedly telling fellow Conservatives in a private meeting ahead of the vote they should not side with “a bunch of terrorist sympathisers”.

Washington has since announced it will deploy more special forces to conduct raids in Iraq and Syria.

The British contribution still forms only a tiny part of the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve, which has been bombing ISIS targets in both Iraq and Syria for more than a year with hundreds of aircraft.

Mr Fallon confirmed that eight more jets – two Tornados and six Typhoons – were being sent to Akrotiri to join the attacks.

After the vote, Cameron posted on Twitter that “the house has taken the right decision to keep the country safe”.

Asked whether the UK’s involvement in military action in Syria would make Britain a target, Mr Fallon told ITV1’s Good Morning Britain: “The sad news is we are already a target…”

Four Royal Air Force Tornado jets bombed six targets in the Islamic State-controlled Omar oilfield close to Syria’s border with Iraq.