The cruise missiles were fired from US ships in the Mediterranean
Syria war: US launches missile strikes following chemical ‘attack’
BBC
The US has carried out a missile attack against targets in Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town.
A Pentagon official said about 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean at a Syrian air base.
President Donald Trump said he ordered the strike against the base from where Tuesday’s attack was launched.
He called on “all civilised nations” to help end the conflict in Syria.
Dozens of civilians died in the suspected nerve gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province.
The US missiles hit the Shayrat airfield, from where Washington believes the chemical weapons attack was launched, one US official was quoted as saying.
A statement on Syrian state TV said “American aggression” had targeted a Syrian military base with “a number of missiles” but gave no further details.
Earlier on Thursday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should have no role in a future Syria.
His comments signaled a sudden shift in policy by the Trump administration.