U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a series of missile strikes against an airfield in Syria Thursday evening in retaliation to a suspected chemical weapons attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that killed dozens of people on Tuesday.
Here’s what we know
Fifty-nine Tomahawk missiles from two American warships in the Mediterranean were directed at the Al Shayrat airfield in Syria. The United States suspected the airfield was used to launch the chemical weapons that killed 87 people, including 31 children, earlier this week.
WATCH: Trump orders strike on Syrian military targets in response to chemical attack
Trump announced the strike from his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago saying there was no doubt Assad was responsible for the deadly chemical attack.
“Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children,” Trump said.
READ MORE: Canada fully supports Donald Trump’s Syria missile strike as ‘limited and focused action’
Officials have stated that Assad used chlorine mixed with a nerve agent, possibly sarin. The Syrian government has strongly denied responsibility for the attack.
“Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the air base in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched,” Trump continued. “It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.”
The Syrian military said at least seven people were killed and nine were wounded in the strike.
The barrage of missiles overnight marked the first time the U.S. has directly targeted Assad’s forces and world leaders reacted quickly.
Russia and Iran condemned the attack with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it an act of “aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law.” The Russian military, which is a supporter of the Assad regime, was notified in advance of the strike, U.S. officials said.
Other world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, supported the actions of the U.S.
WATCH: Dozens killed in suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons Friday that he had spoken with Trump about the airstrikes in Syria and that Canada was briefed in advance about the impending attack.
“This morning I spoke with the president directly and emphasized that Canada agrees that Assad’s repeated use of chemical weapons must not continue,” Trudeau said during question period.
“In the face of such heinous war crimes, all civilized peoples must speak with one voice.”
Trudeau said that prior to strikes, U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis called Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, who then briefed the prime minister.
The United Nations envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told the Associated Press Friday they are in “crisis management mode” following the U.S. strike
De Mistura said he was convening an “emergency meeting” Friday of the International Syria Support Group’s cease-fire task force, which Russia had requested the meeting and was “agreed upon” by the United States.
The UN Secretary General António Guterres called for restraint from all parties involved in the Syrian conflict
“Mindful of the risk of escalation, I appeal for restraint to avoid any acts that could deepen the suffering of the Syrian people,” he said in a statement Friday.
What we don’t know
Senior military officials told Associated Press Friday the U.S. is investigating whether Russia participated in Syria’s chemical weapons attack, Anonymous officials said a drone either belonging to Russia or Syria was seen above the site of the attack Tuesday.
Russia and the U.S. are also disputing how many missiles reached the airbase. The Kremlin says just 23 of 59 cruise missiles reached the air base, destroying six Syrian jets but leaving the runway intact, while the U.S. says all but one of the 59 missiles struck their intended targets.
U.S. officials have not provided any details on casualties and whether Syrians or others, including Russians military, may have been in the area when the missiles struck.
Did Trump need congressional approval for the military action? That depends on who you ask.
Lawmakers like John McCain and Lindsey Graham said the president did not need approval for this type of “limited military action.”
“Unlike the previous administration, President Trump confronted a pivotal moment in Syria and took action,” said Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. in a joint statement. “For that, he deserves the support of the American people.”
Others like Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Senator Rand Paul questioned the actions of the Trump administration.
“While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked,” said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. “The President needs Congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution.”
It is also unclear what political impact the airstrikes will have on Trump’s approval numbers. Presidents have historically seen an improvement in their ratings following the use of military force.
*With files from the Associated Press
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