The United States launched a military strike Friday on a Syrian government target, in retaliation for the chemical weapons attack on civilians earlier in the week. Here’s the latest:
– On President Donald Trump’s orders, US warships launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian government airbase where the warplanes that carried out the chemical attacks were based, US officials said.
– US lawmakers voiced support for Trump’s decision but also cautioned the President to consult Congress before starting a war.
– Former Democratic presidential candidate and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during a speech in New York on Thursday, advocated taking out Syrian military airfields.
– The strikes are the first direct military action the US has taken against the leadership of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country’s six-year civil war, and represent a substantial escalation of the US military campaign in the region, which could be interpreted by the Syrian government as an act of war.