British warplanes carry out airstrikes in Syria
British warplanes have begun carrying out airstrikes in Syria, just hours after lawmakers in London approved an expanded strategy to defeat the Islamic State group.
Royal Air Force Tornado fighter jets took off from a British air base in Cyprus, struck targets in Syria, and returned safely to the base, British defense officials said early Thursday.
The defense ministry later said via Twitter that the bombs targeted the IS-controlled Omar oil fields, but did not provide any assessment of the strikes' results.
The ministry also said it was sending eight more warplanes to the Akrotiri air base from where the missions are being launched, doubling the number of British jets at the facility.
After 10 hours of debate, British lawmakers Wednesday approved (by a vote of 397-223) a request from Prime Minister David Cameron to take part in airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria.
Cameron appeared in parliament to make his case, saying the air strikes would be "part of a wider strategy" to overcome the militant movement.
Britain has been bombing in Iraq for more than a year and Cameron urged lawmakers to back extending air strikes to Syria.