President Trump has launched airstrikes in Syria in response to deadly chemical attacks allegedly ordered by the country’s president, Bashar Assad, against his own people.
“Tonight I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched,” the president announced from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla, where he is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.”
The more than 50 Tomahawk missile strikes were carried out against Shayrat air base near Homs province from the USS Porter and USS Ross in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Syrian base is believed to be where the planes that conducted the chemical attacks originated.
“There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and ignored the urging of the U.N. Security Council,” Trump said.
“Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types,” the president continued. “We asked for God’s wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world. We pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who passed. And we hope as long as America stands for justice and peace and harmony will in the end prevail.”
The attacks earlier this week killed more than 100 Syrians, including many children. On Wednesday, Trump said that the attacks “crossed a lot of lines for me” and hinted that he might pursue some sort of military action in response.
This is a developing story.
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