Jordanian warplanes strike IS in Syria

Jordan Air Force warplanes Thursday launched airstrikes against several targets of the Islamic State (IS) terorist group in Syria, media reported.

The airstrikes came after the IS released a video earlier this week showing a Jordanian pilot, who was captured by the group after his fighter jet crashed in Raqqah over Syria last year, was burnt alive in a cage, Xiunhua news agency reported citing the state-run Jordan TV.

Also Thursday, King Abdullah II of Jordan visited the family of the pilot in his hometown of Karak and paid his condolences.

A day earlier, the king said Jordan's response to the killing of the Jordanian pilot by the IS will be harsh.

At a meeting with top officers of the Jordan Armed Forces Wednesday, the king said the IS terrorist organisation was fighting not only Jordan but also Islam and its noble values.

Earlier Wednesday, Jordan's lower house of parliament condemned the killing as a heinous crime of terrorism and said it was confident that the Jordanian army could avenge the killed pilot.

Jordan is part of a US-led international coalition fighting the IS.