Two British Tornados make a fly past before landing after returning from a mission, at RAF Akrotiri, southern Cyprus December 3, 2015.
After last month’s attacks in France, the country began a push to increase pressure on ISIS — its own and that of partners.
This week, British fighter jets took to the skies of Syria, just a few hours after the British Parliament agreed to join the US-led coalition in Syria. Germany is also considering joining the coalition.
But will a bigger coalition make any difference?
Joshua Landis at the University of Oklahoma is a long-time Syria watcher. He agrees there is an urgency to increase the pressure.
“Europe is looking for unity,” he says. “After the French bombing, everybody is trying to get on board. I think there is a real sense of urgency.”
But challenges remain. For example, he says, until everybody in the coalition agrees on the desired outcome, fighting ISIS isn't going to yield the desired results.
“The question is ‘what do you do after the bombing? Who are you going to replace ISIS with?'” he asks.
“Because insurgency 101 would suggest that the only way to defeat an insurgency like ISIS is to provide a better government for the people down below,” he adds.
So far, the US and the coalition have stopped short of sending ground troops to Syria and Iraq, and sending more air power play into hands of the extremist group.
"Clearly ISIS wants to fight Americans on the ground," Landis says, but the US has denied them that by fighting from air.
"We don't want to get drawn into a long war," he adds. "On the other hand we have to defeat this menace."
Critics of more British involvement have also argued that bombing ISIS targets will increase attacks back home. While this makes sense, Landis says, the group won't be defeated unless the coalition fights it.
"You cannot be intimidated by these people, because if you just try and hold back and not get in, you're never going to defeat them," he says.