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

  1. Kremlin 'welcomes' anti-IS actionpublished at 08:50 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015

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  2. Russia urges coalition in fight against militantspublished at 08:48

    Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, says Russia welcomes the start of UK air strikes in Syria.

    "We continue to welcome any actions aimed at fighting terrorism, fighting Islamic State," he said. 

    However, he also said Russia was "the only country acting legitimately" in Syria, and said the fight against militants there would be more effective if foreign countries set up a joint coalition. 

  3. Syria wants UK to follow Russia's examplepublished at 08:44

    Quote Message

    Syrian officials insist Britain and its allies must follow Russia’s example and co-ordinate their campaign with Syrian government forces. If they don’t, they warn, they simply won’t succeed against IS. The deadlock over President Assad’s future role will continue to block the formation of a unified command against a common enemy. It will also stand in the way of Britain’s pledge that it will now also focus on finding a negotiated way out of this war.

    Lyse Doucet, BBC chief international correspondent

  4. Benn's speech compared to Blairpublished at 08:36

    Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has compared the speech made by Hilary Benn on Wednesday night with Tony Blair's before the Iraq War, saying: "I thought Hilary's oratory was great."

    But he added: "I'm always anxious about the greatest oratories can lead us to the greatest mistakes as well."

  5. Typhoons leave RAF Lossiemouthpublished at 08:19

    The first Typhoon jet fighters have left RAF Lossiemouth in Moray to join UK air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.

    A total of six Typhoons are expected to leave the base bound for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

  6. MoD 'doubling UK strike force'published at 08:18 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015

  7. Citizen journalist group in Raqqa opposes UK air strikespublished at 08:09

    Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently is a group of anti-IS activists which is often the main source of information about life in Raqqa, a Syrian city controlled by the so-called Islamic State and in which they apparently operate. 

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  8. Spotlight on RAF Akrotiripublished at 07:48

    RAF AkrotiriImage source, PA

    This is the entrance to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, from which the UK launched its first air attacks against Islamic State targets in Syria.

    This British base in the eastern Mediterranean probably wasn't that well known among the public before - but it has now become the focus of international attention. 

    Also, here's a broader look at some of the aircraft and weaponry that has been used in the fight against IS militants.  

  9. RAF attacks 'a real blow' to IS revenue - Fallonpublished at 07:36

    The strikes carried out by RAF Tornados overnight focused on six targets in the Omar oil field under Islamic State (Daesh) control in eastern Syria.

    Michael Fallon said this attack "strikes a very real blow at the oil, and the revenue on which the Daesh terrorists depend". 

  10. Air strikes 'will help mobilise forces inside Syria'published at 07:29

    Michael Fallon

    Michael Fallon says that while air attacks are going on against Islamic State targets, "eventually some ground forces can be mobilised inside Syria to deal with Daesh [Islamic State] once and for all". 

  11. 'Plenty can be done from the air' - Fallonpublished at 07:25

    Michael Fallon adds that air attacks can be very effective in the fight against Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

    "There is plenty that can be done from the air in helping to cut off Daesh's source of revenue, cut off its supply routes, attack the buildings from which the terrorist acts we saw carried out in Paris have been planned." 

  12. Islamic State fight 'not going to be quick'published at 07:20

    Defence Secretary Michael Fallon tells the BBC the fight against Islamic State is "not going to be quick".

  13. RAF aircraft reinforcements duepublished at 07:18

    The BBC's Richard Galpin, reporting from outside RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, says a drone was also involved in the overnight operation to bomb IS targets in Syria.

    And he says two more aircraft are due to fly to the Cyprus base from RAF Marham in Norfolk, either later on Thursday or possibly Friday. Also six Typhoons are due to arrive from RAF Lossiemouth in the north-east of Scotland. 

  14. PM rebrands Islamic State as 'Daesh' - Timespublished at 07:07

    The Times reports, external that the prime minister has bowed to pressure in Parliament and rebranded so-called Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria as "Daesh".

    The BBC has an explainer on why IS is known by different names.

  15. Hilary Benn 'looked like the PM'published at 07:04

    Hilary BennImage source, AFP

    The Telegraph says, external the shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, "looked like the prime minister" on Wednesday night when he made a passionate speech in the Commons, urging Labour members to confront the "evil" posed by Islamic State.  

  16. Syria air targets 'very clear'published at 06:58

    Sir Michael Graydon also says a lot of work will have gone into identifying targets in Syria for the air attacks.

    "The sort of targets that they've attacked, as I understand it on this occasion, will be very clear. There should be no doubt that these will be oil installations.

    "Tanks, various logistics sort of places, will be on a target list - long identified and relatively easy to identify."

  17. Former RAF chief hails air attack accuracypublished at 06:52

    Sir Michael Graydon

    Sir Michael Graydon, former chief of the air staff, says war is a "dangerous business" but that the accuracy of air attacks is "very, very considerable". 

    He added: "If anyone thinks air attack is indiscriminate, you should see what ground forces do to towns." 

  18. Response in Parliament Square to the Syria votepublished at 06:44

    The Guardian , externalhas a report on "tears in Parliament Square" as thousands gathered outside the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday night, hoping to persuade MPs not to extend attacks on IS into Syria.

  19. Tornados return to RAF Akrotiripublished at 06:38

    The BBC's Richard Galpin says it is thought that all four Tornados, which left RAF Akrotiri to bomb IS targets in Syria, have now returned to their Cyprus base.