Australian fighter jets drop first bombs in Syria

Australian fighter jets have carried out their first air strikes on Islamic State targets inside Syria, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has confirmed.

An Australian Hornet fighter aircraft destroyed an IS armoured personnel carrier with a precision-guided missile.

"This is part of our logical extension in the fight against Daesh to operate not just over northern Iraq but also to operate over eastern Syria in order to degrade and destroy the Daesh forces," Mr Andrews told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

The Minister defended a decision not to announce earlier details of the strike, which took place two days ago.

"We don't normally announce the missions that occur almost on a daily basis," Mr Andrews said.

He will make a more detailed statement on Middle East operations to parliament later today.

News of the bombing was initially revealed by the United States.

A US military statement said Australia as one of the nations taking part in the bombing raid.

One airstrike was carried out at an IS tactical unit, one on an armoured personnel carrier and one on an oil collection point, the statement issued by the the Combined Joint Task Force in charge of Operation Inherent Resolve said.

Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE and the US were the other counties noted as taking part.