RAF jets have carried out successful raids over Iraq from their base in southern Cyprus.

The first raids of the campaign follow several sorties in recent days over Iraq involving Tornadoes stationed RAF Akrotiri.

The Ministry of Defence said that the  "precision strikes" were a success and the fighter jets had been on an "armed reconnaissance mission" to help Kurdish forces in the north-west of the country who had come under attack from the Islamic State.

The terror group's facilities targeted included a heavy weapon position and an armed pick up truck, the MoD added.

It comes four days after MPs overwhelmingly backed David Cameron's motion in the Commons to allow the strikes against the Islamic State.

The terrorist group - which has kidnapped and murdered a number of hostages including the Scottish raised aid worker David Haines - is only a few miles outside of Baghdad.

It is so far unclear where today's strikes targeted the radical Shia group which has carried out murders, beheadings and crucifictions during a campaign of terror and taken hold of vast swathes of the country.

The Prime Minister has warned the air campaign in Iraq could take years.

Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was forced to deny at the Conservative conference in Birmingham that the absence of air attacks since the vote was significant.

The first sorties took place early on Saturday.