British bombers strike in Syria after parliament vote
Watch: UK launches strikes against ISIS oil fields shortly after a vote approved the measure in parliament.
Tornado bombers took off from the RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus and made strikes on targets in Syria, the source said. The bombers were back at base.
The British Ministry of Defence said on its Twitter feed that British jets had hit al-Omar oil fields as part of the campaign against Islamic State.
A Reuters witness in Cyprus saw four jets leaving in pairs from the air base within an hour of each other. All four had since returned.
RAF Akrotiri has been used as a launchpad for attacks on Islamic State targets in Iraq for just over a year, and late on Wednesday Britain's parliament broadened its scope for targets within Syria.
After more than 10 hours of tense debate, members of parliament voted in favor of the air strikes by 397 to 223.
Britain sent eight more warplanes to its base is Cyprus to join air strike missions against Islamic State in Syria, defence minister Michael Fallon said on Thursday.
"Today we are doubling our strike force. The additional eight aircraft being sent to (RAF air base) Akrotiri, are now in the air and on their way," he told BBC radio.
The additional planes were six Typhoon fighters and two Tornados, he said.
Russia welcomed the move, sayingm, "We continue to welcome any actions aimed at combating terrorism, at the fight against Islamic State," Peskov told journalists during a conference call.
"Of course, we believe that the efficiency (of such actions) could be significantly improved when such actions are coordinated, with all acting within a united coalition."
