Trump orders 'precision strikes' on Syria in response to chemical weapons attack that killed dozens

CNN

• President Donald Trump ordered "precision strikes" on Syria Friday night, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack there.
• The development follows a suspected chemical attack that is widely believed to be the work of the Syrian government, which killed dozens of people.
• Syria has denied any involvement in the chemical attack.

President Donald Trump announced "precision strikes" on Syria on Friday, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack that reportedly killed dozens of people.

The "combined operation" involved the US, France, and the UK.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime was suspected of orchestrating a chlorine attack against the rebel-held town of Douma, near the capital of Damascus, earlier this month. Although exact figures were unclear, the attack is believed to have killed dozens, many of them children. The New York Times placed the number of fatalities at around 70, with 43 of the victims showing signs of having been exposed to "highly toxic chemicals."

"This massacre was a significant escalation in a pattern of chemical weapons use by that very terrible regime," Trump said on Friday.

Trump called the incident a "heinous attack on innocent" Syrians and vowed that the US would respond: "This is about humanity; it can't be allowed to happen."

The chemical attack prompted several nations to respond, including the UK, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel. Trump had reportedly talked to UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron this week, both of whom believed that the Syrian regime should be held accountable.

Alaa Alyousef via AP

Abdul-Hamid Alyousef, 29, holds his twin babies who were killed during the suspected chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhoun in the northern province of Idlib, Syria, on April 4, 2017.

"I just want to say very clearly, that if they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said.

Although Trump reportedly advocated for a broad military strike that would punish Syria, and to an extent, its allies Russia and Iran, he is believed to have been met with resistance from Mattis and other military officials, who feared the White House lacked a broad strategy, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The latest chemical attack follows the suspected Syrian-sponsored sarin attack in April 2017, which reportedly killed 89 people. The US responded by firing 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase that was suspected of playing a role in the chemical attacks.

Despite overwhelming evidence of the government's involvement in the attacks, Syria has denied responsibility for both incidents.

In addition to Assad's denials, Russia, one of Syria's staunchest allies, has also dismissed the allegations as "fake news," and said its own experts found no "trace of chlorine or any other chemical substance used against civilians."

On Tuesday, Russia took its response a step further and vetoed the US-backed United Nations resolution that condemned the apparent chemical attack.

US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley rebuked the decision and called it a "sad day."

"When the people of Douma, along with the rest of the international community, looked to this council to act, one country stood in the way," Haley said. "History will record that. History will record that, on this day, Russia chose protecting a monster over the lives of the Syrian people."

This story is developing. Check back for updates.