France will carry out its first air strikes on the so-called ’Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) takfiri group in Syria "in the coming weeks."

France will carry out its first air strikes on the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group in Syria "in the coming weeks," Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Wednesday.

The French air force has been carrying out reconnaissance missions over Syria since September 8, and strikes will follow "in the coming weeks, as soon as we have clearly identified targets," Le Drian told France Inter radio.

France has been part of a US-led coalition bombing ISIL positions in Iraq for the past year.

But President Francois Hollande last week changed strategy to expand action to Syria amid mounting political pressure over terrorist threats faced by France.

France has so far confirmed it has carried out two surveillance flights over Syrian territory.

The United States, Canada, Turkey and Gulf states have already been involved in strikes on ISIL militants in Syria, and were joined on Wednesday by Australia, according to an announcement by the Australian government.