Air campaign ‘will take a long time’

Driving out Islamic State (IS) militants will not be a "weekend campaign", British defence secretary Michael Fallon has warned, after the first combat sorties by RAF warplanes over Iraq failed to locate any suitable targets to strike.

The ministry of defence confirmed that the third mission to be carried out by Tornado GR4 fighter bombers since they were given the green light to commence air strikes had ended with them returning to their base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus with their weapons payloads intact.

Mr Fallon warned that such operations could continue for weeks or even months.