RAF Tornado jets have left the UK for Cyprus from where they are set to help efforts to deliver aid to refugees trapped on a mountain in northern Iraq.
Three aircraft left shortly after 14:00 BST and will carry out surveillance ahead of airdrops to refugees.
The Ministry of Defence said RAF cargo planes dropped a further two consignments of aid on Monday night.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is chairing a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee.
It comes as former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has added his voice to mounting calls for Parliament to reconvene to discuss Britain's response.
"The government would be well advised to recall Parliament," he said, to share with MPs "everything that the government has done and - at the moment at least - is intending to do".
Humanitarian roleThe Tornados left RAF Marham, in Norfolk, destined for RAF Akrotiri, in Cyprus.
The MoD would not say how many jets are taking part in the mission, but BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said it was likely to be between six and eight Tornados.
He said the MoD had stressed the jets would be taking on a humanitarian role and helping to identify safe areas on the ground on Mount Sinjar for supplies to be dropped.
UK forces make Iraq air drop
The Tornados have been equipped with reconnaissance pods, which will be used to carry out surveillance to help the RAF C-130 Hercules cargo planes target where humanitarian supplies should be dropped.
US forces have carried out four rounds of air strikes targeting IS militants near Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Our correspondent said it was "inconceivable" that the RAF Tornadoes would not be armed during flights over Iraq. But he said any prospect of UK planes taking part in strikes "does not seem to be likely at the moment".
"Start Quote
End Quote Justine Greening International Development SecretaryUK aid is already helping the people who desperately need it"
It comes as Islamic State (IS) fighters have seized territory across Iraq and Syria in the past few months, as well as continuing reports of the slaughter of Iraqi religious minority groups.
Among those reportedly being targeted by the jihadists are Iraqi Christians and members of the Yazidi sect. Thousands of Yazidi civilians have been trapped on the Sinjar mountains.
'Deeply worrying'On Monday night, RAF crews dropped supplies including 3,180 reusable water purification containers containing a total of 15,900 litres of clean water, and 816 solar lamps that can also be used to charge mobile phones.
The first drop took place on Saturday, delivering 1,200 water containers and 240 solar lanterns.
A further drop planned for Sunday night had to be abandoned because of fears that people could be injured by the cargo.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said the humanitarian situation in Iraq was "deeply worrying".
"IS terrorists continue to contest towns and villages south of Irbil and in the Sinjar area and the Yazidi community face appalling conditions, cut off on Mount Sinjar.
"UK aid is already helping the people who desperately need it."
Downing Street has said the government is working closely with Iraqi, Kurdish and international representatives to "mitigate safety concerns" that led to the cancellation of Sunday's delivery.
No 10 said in a statement: "The challenge of getting aid safely to those on the mountain reinforces the need for a long-term solution that gets these people to safety."
The RAF Tornado jets are set to take off from RAF Marham in Norfolk, and could carry out surveillance to assist delivery of aid supplies.
Ms Greening has also announced that four organisations are to share the £3m earmarked by the British government for charities operating in Iraq.
Mercy Corps, Save the Children, the International Rescue Committee and Action Against Hunger will provide food, water, medical supplies, hygiene kits and sanitation facilities, with the funds being made available immediately.
The UK aid contribution for those displaced in Iraq is worth £13m in total and includes:
- £2m of emergency supplies for 75,000 people, which includes the aid being dropped on Mount Sinjar
- £3m of fast-tracked funding for charities and NGOs already operating in Iraq, as announced by Ms Greening
- £2.5m of support for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide immediate medical help
- and £500,000 to help coordinate relief efforts between the UN and the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq.
The aid was loaded on to the C130 cargo planes at RAF Brize Norton Meanwhile, a senior retired British general has accused the UK government of being "commitment-phobic" over the crisis, telling the Times that politicians were "terrified of any form of intervention" ahead of next year's general election.
Sir Richard Shirreff said: "What we have got is this commitment-phobic government that is terrified of being seen to be putting boots on the ground at a time when they are trying to extract from everything."
US forces have carried out four rounds of air strikes targeting IS militants near Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The US has also begun supplying weapons to the Kurdish Peshmerga, who are fighting the militants, senior US officials told the Associated Press.
- Secretive group whose origins and ethnicity are subject to continuing debate
- Religion incorporates elements of many faiths, including Zoroastrianism
- Many Muslims and other groups view Yazidis as devil worshippers
- Holiest temple is in Lalesh, northern Iraq (pictured above)
- There are estimated to be around 500,000 Yazidis worldwide, most living in Iraq's Nineveh plains
Tornados leave UK for Iraq mission
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