US President Donald Trump has ordered a military attack against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, joining allies Britain and France in launching missile strikes in retaliation for what Western nations said was the deliberate gassing of Syrian civilians.
The coordinated strike on Friday marked the second time in a year that Trump has used force against Assad, who US officials believe has continued to test the West's willingness to accept gruesome chemical attacks, The Washington Post reported.
Trump announced the strikes in an address to the nation on Friday evening.
"The purpose of our action tonight is to establish a strong deterrent," he said, against the production and use of chemical weapons, describing the issue as vital to national security.
Trump added that the US is prepared "to sustain this response" until its aims are met.
Trump asked both Russia and Iran, backers of Assad, "what kind of nation wants to be associated" with mass murder and suggested that someday the US might be able to "get along" with both if they change their policies.
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