Immediately after the attack, Syrian state TV, broadcasting live from the landmark Omayyad Square, showed crowds of civilians mixing with men in uniform, including vehicles with flags. U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday night that the three allies had launched military strikes to punish Syrian President Bashar Assad for alleged chemical weapons use and to prevent him from doing it again. He said the airstrikes were launched against several sites that helped provide Assad's ability to create chemical weapons. The one-off missile strike in April 2017 targeted the airfield from which the Syrian aircraft had launched their gas attack. Friday's strikes appear to signal Trump's willingness to draw the United States more deeply into the Syrian conflict.

Source: Fox News April 14, 2018 04:28 UTC