Britain launches airstrikes hours after Parliament backs ISIS bombings

British fighter jets have taken part in their first airstrikes in Syria, hours after UK lawmakers voted in favor of bombing ISIS strongholds there.

"RAF Tornadoes have just returned from their first offensive operation over Syria and have conducted strikes," a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense (MOD) said early Thursday.

The four jets took off from Akrotiri air base in Cyprus, targeting an oil field in Eastern Syria.

Lawmakers voted 397 in favor of action and 223 against, following a 10-hour debate in Westminster last night. 

After the November 13 terror attacks in Paris, France asked the U.S.-led coalition to bump up the military offensive against ISIS. 

Now that Britain has decided to expand airstrikes that it previously conducted only in Iraq, the spotlight is on the German Parliament, which also is expected to approve greater military commitment against the terror group.

The German plan would activate 1,200 troops in anti-ISIS efforts, but in a support role -- not direct combat. 

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the British move and said the coalition would work "to integrate them into our coalition air tasking orders as quickly as possible."

Source: CNN