Two Typhoon jets have left the RAF’s base in Cyprus for the first time since MPs backed military action against so-called Islamic State in Syria.
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Britain’s Ministry of Defence just confirmed that the country completed its second air strike on ISIS (also known as the Islamic State, ISIL and Daesh) today.
The MoD said a second pair of GR-4s patrolled over western Iraq, where they provided air support to Iraqi forces fighting with IS militants and they dropped a Paveway IV guided bomb after a “terrorist sniper team opened fire”. “We are very conscious that we are asking our fearless armed forces personnel to risk their safety in order to maintain ours”, defense secretary Michael Fallon told RAF personnel at the Akrotiri air base in Cyprus.
It is instructive that its first air strikes were directed against ISIS oil extraction and refining installations, which provide the terrorist group with most of its revenue.
MPs voted by 397 to 223, a majority of 174, after the marathon ten hour debate in the Commons on Wednesday in favour of extending British action against IS into its Syrian strongholds.
“The Prime Minister has been pretty clear that this is going to be a long campaign to ensure that Daesh are thrown out of Iraq and that they are degraded and degraded in eastern Syria”, Mr Fallon continued. “Last night saw the full force of the RAF”.
He said there were no reports of any civilian casualties.
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It came as David Cameron insisted British war planes could help bring about a political settlement in Syria.
