How the world has reacted to the US-led strikes on Syria

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‍US President Donald Trump announced that the US, along with France and Britain, has launched precision strikes against the Syrian government on Friday evening.

"A short time ago, I ordered the United States Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad," Trump said in a televised address from the White House.

The US has threatened military intervention over what President Trump has described as an “atrocious” attack by the Syrian government, which has killed at least 40 people.

US President Donald Trump arrives to announce military strikes on Syria during a statement at the White House in Washington, US, April 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

Washington placed the blame on the government of President Bashar al-Assad, but Damascus has denied the accusations, saying the attack was the work of terrorists.

The US already struck government targets in Syria last April, when Trump ordered a cruise missile attack on a government air base in response to a sarin gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun which killed more than 80 civilians.

Trump on Saturday praised the pre-dawn strikes against Syria, saying they "could not have had a better result." Western officials said a barrage of cruise and air-to-land missiles hit what they said were sites linked to chemical weapons development.

"A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military," Trump tweeted. "Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!"

CGTN screenshot of US President Donald Trump's post on twitter

Read more: Timeline: The conflict and chemical attacks in Syria

Analysis: The rationale behind Trump’s Syria missile threat

The Pentagon said Saturday that a joint US-British-French operation against Syria's regime had "successfully hit every target," countering assertions from Russia that dozens of missiles were intercepted.

"We do not seek conflict in Syria, but we cannot allow such grievous violations of international law," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters. "We successfully hit every target," she said. "The strikes were justified, legitimate and proportionate."

Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White speaks to reporters, April 4th, 2018. /CGTN Photo

Strikes hit Syria

Shortly after Trump began his address, loud explosions were heard in the Syrian capital Damascus, signaling a new chapter in a brutal seven-year civil war.

According to Syrian state TV, the US started its military action against the capital before daybreak on Saturday as loud explosions were heard reverberating across the city, which responded with what appeared to be air defenses to the US strike.

"Syrian air defense blocks American, British, French aggression on Syria," state television added.

The Syrian state news agency SANA also slammed the strikes as illegal and "doomed to fail."

"The aggression is a flagrant violation of international law, a breach of the international community's will, and it is doomed to fail," SANA said.

Syria's foreign ministry denounced Western strikes as a "brutal, barbaric aggression" hours after the US, France, and Britain launched a joint operation against military installations.

A statement from state news agency SANA said the strikes aimed to block a probe by the OPCW global chemical watchdog into an alleged gas attack outside Damascus.

The attack "aims at hindering the mission's work and preempting its results," said the statement quoting a source at the Syrian foreign ministry.

Meanwhile, scientific research centers in and around the capital were hit by the US-led strikes.

"The Western coalition strikes targeted scientific research centers, several military bases, and the bases of the Republican Guard and Fourth Division in the capital Damascus and around it," said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Trump said the aim of the strikes is to deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government and stressed that he was prepared to sustain the response until the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stopped its use of chemical weapons.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis stated later on Friday that the air strikes on targets in Syria were a "one time shot" to send a strong message.

He also told the public, "this wave of air strikes is over" and "right now we have no additional attacks planned."

The intervention was the biggest strike by Western powers against the Syrian government in the country’s seven-year-long civil war.

May, Macron: No alternative to use of force

British Prime Minister Theresa May later confirmed that she had authorized coordinated and targeted strikes against Syria with American and French allies to destroy Syria's chemical weapons capability.

"This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change," May said in a statement. "It is about a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region and that does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties."

May said that, while the strike was targeted at Syria, it sent a message to "anyone else who believes they can use chemical weapons with impunity."

British jets fired missiles at a Syrian military facility near Homs suspected of storing chemical weapon ingredients, Britain's defense ministry also confirmed later.

French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed that he had ordered French military intervention in Syria with the US and Britain.

He claimed the strike aimed to target "the capacities of the Syrian regime to produce and use chemical weapons."

"We cannot tolerate the normalization of the use of chemical weapons," he added.

Putin: The strike is an act of 'aggression'

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the military action launched by the US, in cooperation with Britain and France, was "an act of aggression" against a sovereign state and Russia strongly condemns it.

Calling for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Putin said that the US has made the humanitarian catastrophe worse and caused pain for civilians, not to mention the damage it has brought to international relations.

Who is backing the US-led strike?

Israel: Israel on Saturday called the joint attack an "appropriate" response to warn the Syrian government not to cross the chemical weapon usage "red line."

Turkey: Turkey on Saturday welcomed the operation, saying it "articulates the conscience of all humanity in the face of the Douma attack."

Canada: Canada on Saturday said it supported the US, the UK and France to take action against the alleged Syrian chemical weapons attacks.

Germany: German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the attack "necessary and appropriate."

NATO: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed support, believing the actions will "reduce the regime's ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons."

EU: The EU backed the actions, with European Council President Donald Tusk tweeting that "the EU will stand with our allies on the side of justice."

Who is blaming the US-led strike?

Iran: Iran said "the US and its allies have no proof," and more importantly, carried out the military attack without having the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons take a position.

China: The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that the country has consistently opposed the use of force in international relations and has advocated respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries. It also called for "dialogue and consultation" to peacefully solve the issue.

UN: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for restraint and for countries to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation.

(With input from agencies)