UK air strikes on IS in Syria

Summary

UK launches first air strikes against so-called Islamic State in Syria
Cyprus-based RAF Tornado jets target oil fields in eastern Syria
Prime Minister David Cameron warns campaign 'is going to take time'
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had said case for war 'does not stack up'
MPs voted in favour of military action in Syria by 397 to 223

Live Reporting

Stephen Robb, Alison Daye and Emma Harrison

'This will take time'published at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
The Ministry of Defence tweets...
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'Complex situation'published at 14:31
The BBC's defence and diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says:
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The air campaign is not going to bring about anything like victory over Islamic State – everybody from the prime minister downwards has been saying that...
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But if there was no bombing at all, Islamic State would be on the ascendant, it would have taken even more territory in Iraq and Syria, it might be threatening Jordan, it might have been threatening Lebanon, it would be undoubtedly a much greater source of radicalisation for suitably-minded people around the world.
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We are not dealing here with an absolute right or an absolute wrong - we are dealing with an impossibly complex situation where people are trying to find a way to at least contain it, perhaps slowly bring some order out of the chaos.
MoD answers 'most common' air strike questionspublished at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
The Ministry of Defence tweets...
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Things people get wrong about Syriapublished at 14:01
Busting the myths on UK air strikes
BBC Newsbeat
In the last 24 hours you have been hearing some big claims about the air strikes in Syria. Radio 1 Newsbeat put questions from its followers to Middle East analyst Tim Eaton, from Chatham House.
See his answers here:Eight statements on Syria - true or not?
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Not the result of air strikes but an explosion caused by a car bomb planted by the Islamic State group in Kobani last year
MoD blogs on Syria air strikespublished at 13:45 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
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#PrayForSyria trends on Twitterpublished at 13:44
Thousands of people have been using the hashtag #PrayForSyria on social media in response to the UK’s decision to extend air strikes into the country, according to BBC Trending.
Since Parliament voted for action, the term has been tweeted more than 46,000 times, peaking at 23:10 GMT on Wednesday night – within an hour of the vote being passed.
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Send us your commentspublished at 13:21
Email:haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Melanie Trapnell emails: I am proud to belong to a democratic society that debates thoroughly the decision to deploy our RAF. I hope that working strategically with our allies will stop the spread of territory for ISIL. It may make the threat to the UK greater in the short term, we must all remain vigilant and pray for resolution, trusting our government to see it through.
Jake Hacking emails: Are we not still a nation of global influence and standing? We are after all one of the few permanent members of the UN Security Council and a leading member of NATO. Surely it is therefore our responsibility to help ensure the security of our allies and our own people's future security by putting a stop to growing and potentially dangerous enemies like the so called Islamic state. I for one 100% support the action in Syria.
Sturgeon 'deeply troubled' by Syria strikespublished at 13:25
First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has told the Scottish Parliament she is deeply troubled by UK MPs' decision to take military action against Islamic State targets in Syria.
She offered her "thoughts and good wishes" to the British service personnel in action over Syria, particularly those from RAF Lossiemouth.
Image source, EPA
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"However, I remain deeply troubled by the decision of the UK government to take the country into conflict with no strategy, no exit plan and against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Scotland's MPs."
Middle East press react to Syria strikespublished at 13:23
Syrian state media have reacted angrily to the decision by UK MPs to attack so-called Islamic State targets in their country.
Here's a round-up of some of their responses, along with those from the press in other Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Lebanon and Qatar.
Watch: David Cameron says Syria strikes 'necessary'published at 13:20
David Cameron says widening the military operation against Islamic State extremists is "part of a process that will actually help to deliver the political and diplomatic change that we need in Syria".
Boris Johnson: Syria strikes 'do not increase London risk'published at 13:14
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has rejected the suggestion that air strikes in Syria could increase the terror threat in London.
He said: "I don't think it makes London more of a target. On the contrary, I think we're seeing an escalation of the number of plots that are emanating from the Daesh-held areas in Syria."
It was time for the UK to join France, the US and other allies in using military force to restrict so-called Islamic State's activities, he said.
Mr Johnson was speaking outside the Bataclan club in Paris, where 89 people lost their lives in the recent attacks there, which were claimed to have been carried out by IS.
Image source, Reuters
David Cameron: We must be 'patient and persistent'published at 13:00
David Cameron also says the UK is "going to need to be patient and persistent" in its efforts against Islamic State.
Image source, PA
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This is going to take time. It is complex and it is difficult what we are asking our pilots to do, and our thoughts should be with them and their families as they commence this important work."
PM expects 'strong support from our allies'published at 12:56
Mr Cameron also said there would be "strong support from our allies" for UK action in Syria.
"I've just been on the telephone to Chancellor Merkel of Germany, and the Germans are stepping up what they are doing in the region.
"And there will be very strong support from Muslim countries, Gulf countries, that have asked us to take part in this action, as part of a process that will actually help to deliver the political and diplomatic change that we need in Syria as well."
David Cameron: Air strikes 'good for the country'published at 12:54
Prime Minister David Cameron says he believes the UK's ability to carry out bombing raids against so-called Islamic State in Syria is "good for the country".
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There was a compelling case for extending our air strikes from Iraq to Syria.
"I was glad to see such strong support right across Parliament, actually from members of six different political parties voting in favour of this necessary action."
Saudi paper covers 'heated' Commonspublished at 12:47
The Saudi-owned London newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat, external shows Wednesday night's Syria debate in the Commons, with the headline: "Ten heated hours in the British House of Commons."
Image source, Al-Sharq al-Awsat
'Advanced sensors used' to avoid risk to civilianspublished at 12:41
The Ministry of Defence has issued more information on its website, external about the RAF's air strikes in Syria overnight.
It says its fighter bombers hit six targets within the extensive oilfield at Omar, 35 miles inside Syria’s eastern border with Iraq.
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"Before our aircrew conducted their attacks, as is normal they used the aircraft’s advanced sensors to confirm that no civilians were in the proximity of the targets, who might be placed at risk.
"Our initial analysis of the operation indicates that the strikes were successful."
Image source, Getty Images
Daily Politics: What's going on in Syria?published at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
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Anti-war group: Decision 'profoundly mistaken and dangerous'published at 12:16
Image source, Getty Images
The Stop the War Coalition, external - which demonstrated outside the Houses of Parliament during Wednesday evening's vote - says the decision to bomb so-called Islamic State targets in Syria is "profoundly mistaken and dangerous".
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A new war will not increase the prospects of peace in Syria, nor will the British people be safer from terrorism.
The group has also condemned those MPs in favour of air strikes who have complained about the responses they are getting from some members of the public.
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If an MP is not robust enough to withstand emails and tweets, they should really not be voting for bombing other people - those who wish to be alone with their consciences would do better to consider a life of religious contemplation.
Watch: Ken Livingstone says Corbyn has brought democracy back to Labourpublished at 12:10
Labour former mayor of London speaking to BBC News
Media caption,
Labour's Ken Livingstone says Jeremy Corbyn has brought back democracy
France welcomes 'concrete demonstration of solidarity'published at 12:04
French foreign affairs minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement:
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I welcome the vote by the British House of Commons authorising an intensification of the United Kingdom's military efforts in the fight against Daesh by extending them to Syria.
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Through this vote and these actions, the UK is signalling its determination to combat Daesh. A fortnight after the 13 November attacks, this is a concrete demonstration of solidarity with our country.