France uses cruise missiles on IS targets in Syria and Iraq

France has used cruise missiles for the first time against Islamic State (IS) during strikes in Iraq yesterday, the French defence ministry has said.

Long-range Scalp missiles were launched from French fighter jets based in the UAE and Jordan as part of a bombing raid that targeted a command centre, training site and logistics depot in western Iraq on the border with Syria.

The missiles were used for the first time in Libya in 2011 strikes and cost about €850,000 each, according to the French press.