US fires dozens of Tomahawks at Syria military base near Homs, Trump cites ’Assad’s chem attack’
US ships stationed in the Mediterranean Sea reportedly launched the strike on Syria’s Shayrat airbase on Thursday night local time.
#pt: The 1st U.S airstrike has just hit Al-Shayrat airbase SE of #Homs city. pic.twitter.com/e3Ez190ZHy
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) April 7, 2017
Calling it a “targeted military strike,” Trump said the Homs airfield was where the chemical gas attack earlier this week originated from.
Trump described the attack as defending a “vital national security interest” and called upon “civilized nations” to help end the “slaughter and bloodshed in Syria.”
“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 UN security council,” Trump said. “Years of previous attempts at changing Assad’s behaviour have all failed and failed very dramatically.”
NBC News reported that there was no word on casualties and that no people were allegedly targeted. Russian forces were reportedly warned ahead of time.
The airfield was allegedly targeted after the US blamed the Syrian military for the chemical incident in Idlib, in which dozens of civilians died from suspected gas poisoning in the rebel-occupied territory. Up to 86 people, including 26 children, are alleged to have been killed. Several Western states have immediately pinned the blame on Assad’s forces, while Russia said Syrian jets bombed a warehouse where chemical weapons were being produced.
READ MORE: Russia calls for UN Security Council talks on Idlib ‘chemical attack’ resolution
Video footage allegedly capturing the moment of the strike has emerged on social media, reportedly filmed by a resident near Shayrat airbase. Repeated loud noises, allegedly from explosions, can be heard in the video and bright sparks are seen moving across the dark sky.
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http://www.rt.com/news/383782-us-strikes-syria-tomahawaks/