UK set to bomb IS tonight in Syria as vote passed

British war planes are poised to begin a bombing campaign in Syria tonight after MPs overwhelmingly backed military action against Islamic State.

RAF jets and drones are ready to launch air strikes “very quickly” and raids on the jihadist terror group could begin within 24 hours, foreign secretary Philip Hammond said.

MPs voted by 397 to 223 in favour of extending British action to quash IS from Iraq into its Syrian strongholds, a majority of 174.