The US envoy to the United Nations (UN) said a political solution to the war in Syria would be impossible as long as Bashar al-Assad stays in power.  

"There's not any sort of option where a political solution is going to happen with Assad at the head of the regime,"‍ ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told CNN in an interview.

"It just - if you look at his actions, if you look at the situation, it's going to be hard to see a government that's peaceful and stable with Assad," she said. 

She said the US had three goals: Assad’s removal, ISIL’s defeat, and the end of Iran’s influence in Syria. 

The US fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat air base in the western Homs province on Thursday in response to what Washington said was a Syrian government chemical attack on a rebel-held town that killed dozens. The Trump administration said it was ready to take further action. 

On March 30, days before the chemical attack, Haley and other Trump officials said the US had little appetite for getting involved in Syria.

“You pick and choose your battles and when we’re looking at this, it’s about changing up priorities and our priority is no longer to sit there and focus on getting Assad out,” she said.