U. S. missiles target Syrian air base
Assad ‘ choked out’ lives of civilians, Trump says
WASHINGTON — The United States fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week’s chemical- weapons attack against civilians.
Late Thursday, President Donald Trump cast the U. S. assault, which struck early in the morning hours in Syria, as vital to deter the future use of poison gas and called on other nations to join in seeking “to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria.”
It marked the first direct U. S. assault on the Syrian government and Trump’s most dramatic military order since becoming president.
A few hours after the attack, a Syrian local official said there were deaths and injuries, but did not yet have specifics.
Announcing the assault from his Florida resort, Trump said there was no doubt Syrian President Bashar Assad was responsible for Tuesday’s chemical attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which he said employed banned gases and killed dozens.
“Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children,” Trump said.
The U. S. strikes — more than 50 missiles launched from the USS Ross and USS Porter in the Mediterranean — hit the government- controlled Shayrat air base in central Syria, where U. S. officials say the Syrian military planes that dropped the chemicals had taken off. The missiles targeted the base’s airstrips, hangars, control tower and ammunition areas, officials said.
Trump approved the strikes without approval from Congress or the backing of the United Nations. The White House said about two dozen lawmakers from both parties were briefed on the actions.
Syrian state TV reported a U. S. missile attack on a number of military targets and called the attack an “aggression.”