Image source, PA

The government motion to attack Islamic State targets in Syria was passed after a 10-hour debate in the House of Commons. Here's a breakdown of how each MP voted.

More on the RAF Akrotiri base, which has been used in the overnight strikes.

It forms part of the British sovereign bases in Cyprus. 

It has played a pivotal role in the military operations against IS militants in Iraq. About 860 personnel are involved in the mission at RAF Akrotiri, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Hardware currently includes eight Tornado GR4s and a Voyager refuelling aircraft, along with unmanned Predator drones.

Are there 70,000 Syrian 'moderates' ready to back UK, asks Michael Stephens from the Royal United Services Institute.

He argues that the British government has oversold the strength of such forces, whilst simultaneously underselling the strength of others.

Image source, Reuters

IS - which controls large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq - is sometimes referred to by different names by English-speaking governments and media. Here's why.

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The BBC understands that the RAF air strikes carried out by four Tornado jets were focused on six targets in an oilfield under IS control in eastern Syria, our correspondent Jonathan Beale reports. 

The Tornadoes used their Raptor pods for surveillance before dropping their Paveway bombs. 

An RAF Reaper unmanned drone was also in the air to provide intelligence. 

The targeting of oil infrastructure is part of a strategy to deprive the extremists of their funding and revenue streams, our correspondent adds.  

Some experts have questioned how much Britain could add the campaign against IS in Syria. 

"It will not make a big operational difference," Professor Malcolm Chalmers of military think-tank the Royal United Services Institute was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

"It is important symbolically, useful operationally, but not transformative," he added.   

The British vote was immediately hailed by US President Barack Obama.

He said America would "look forward to having British forces flying with the coalition over Syria". 

And here are the key quotes and clips from the House of Commons debate.

Image source, AFP

As MPs debated the air strikes, protesters held a rally outside Parliament.

Many held banners that read: "Don't bomb Syria" and "Hands off Syria"

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Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond earlier warned that Britain cannot "pull the quilt over our head" to avoid attacks from IS.

He said the UK had to take the fight to IS before they took the fight to London.

"They are going after us. We have to fight back," he said.

RAF personnel have been checking the Tornados after they returned to their base in Akrotiri, southern Cyprus.

Image source, Reuters

 A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the overnight sorties had returned from the "first offensive operation over Syria and have conducted strikes".

The RAF was already carrying out air strikes against IS in neighbouring Iraq. 

The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Cyprus tweets that the target hit overnight may have been infrastructure.

The government motion, external voted on specifically authorises air strikes "exclusively" against IS in Syria - but not the deployment of British troops on the ground.

Here are some key questions answered.

Britain is already bombing IS targets in Iraq, and has now joined several nations carrying out air strikes against the militant group in Syria as part of a US-led coalition.

The Ministry of Defence is expected to give details of what was targeted later on Thursday, the BBC's Jonathan Beale reports.

 During the House of Commons debate on whether to back air strikes, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that David Cameron's case "doesn't stack up". 

However, more than 60 Labour MPs later voted with the government.

Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the vote as "the right decision"

The military operation began just hours after MPs backed the move in a 397-223 vote after a marathon debate in the House of Commons.