President Donald Trump announced that the United States, France and Great Britain launched “precision strikes” against Syria on April 13, 2018 in response to the country’s suspected use of chemical weapons. The American president called the president of Syria a “monster.”
Trump declared the mission a success.
A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!
Some videos and photos of the missile strikes were surfacing on Twitter. Fox News reported that a so-called scientific research center in downtown Damascus, Syria was one of the targets, per Arab television. Damascus state TV was claiming the regime had intercepted some Tomahawk missiles, Fox News reported, although the claim was unverified.
BREAKING FOOTAGE: SYRIAN AIR-DEFENSES ARE DEFENDING THE SKY OF DAMASCUS
“And we are also hearing reports, many of the targets, in particular the air bases in some of the military installations that had been struck, had indeed been evacuated of personnel earlier in the week,” @sethdoane reports from Damascus, Syria t.co/bTaJ40jGwj
Missiles everywhere, God bless our military.
“AP reports that AP reporter in Damascus says the US, UK and France attacks have turned the sky orange, and explosions are being heard to the east, west and south of Damascus as the U.S.,” NBC News reported. Here are some other videos:
You can watch live coverage from ABC News of the strikes here:
See more video of the attack here:
You can watch a video of the Trump press conference here:
“A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway,” Trump said. He said that the Syrian leader had launched a “savage” chemical weapons attack previously and again recently. The regime “slaughtered innocent civilians” in the recent attack, the president stated. Trump called the attack “evil” and “despicable,” saying that it left mothers, fathers, infants and children thrashing in pain and gasping for air.
Defense Secretary James Mattis called the “atrocities inexcusable.” He said that the “United States has a vital national interest in averting a worse catastrophe in Syria.” He said the latest attack was designed to destroy the Syrian regime’s ability to produce chemical weapons. “Clearly the Assad regime did not get the message last year,” Mattis said. “We have sent a clear message to Assad and his murderous lieutenants.”
“These are crimes of a monster,” said Trump, adding that Bashar al-Assad’s “recent attack… are a direct result of Russia’s failure…Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path or if it will join with civilized nations… hopefully some day we will get along with Russia and maybe even Iran, but maybe not.” He evoked chemical weapons attacks in World War I and said, “today the nations of Britain, France and the United States of America have marshaled their righteous power” against what he called barbarism.
The New York Times earlier reported that Trump’s announcement would deal with Syria. On April 11, 2018, Trump set the stage for the action by labeling Syrian president Bashar al Assad a “gas killing animal.” Fox News reported that U.S. military strikes would “go forward in Syria” and said the decision was made by Trump on the evening of April 13.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Trump also put both Russia and Iran on notice by calling both countries out by name during his short address to the American people.
“Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” Trump tweeted. According to ABC News, “President Donald Trump’s national security team met Friday evening at the White House as Washington and the world waited for word of any decision on a military response to Syria’s alleged chemical attack last weekend.”
Trump stressed that “America does not seek” a permanent presence in Syria. “We look forward to the day we can bring our warriors home,” he said. He stated, “We can not purge the world of evil or act everywhere. There is tyranny.” He called the Middle East a “troubled place. We will try to make it better, but it is a troubled place.” He said the fate of that region “lies in the hands of its own people.”
Assad and Russia have denied roles in the attack.