WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump triumphantly declared “Mission Accomplished!” on Saturday following a US-led missile assault on the Syrian regime, and warned another attack could follow if Damascus were to unleash more chemical weapons.
The narrowly targeted pre-dawn US-French-British operation, which took aim at three chemical weapons facilities, earned quick scorn from Russia, But Moscow’s push for condemnation of the strikes at the UN Security Council fell short.
Trump and his allies ordered the quick-strike overnight mission in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack a week ago on the rebel-held town of Douma that left more than 40 people dead.
Washington believes both sarin and chlorine were used in the attack, a senior US administration official told reporters on Saturday.
Both the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and its ally Russia have denied all responsibility for the April 7 attack. Moscow slammed the “aggressive actions” of the Western coalition, but has not yet responded militarily.
