Syria: 110 missiles fired, most interceptedThe Syrian Armed Forces said in a statement the US,
France and the
UK "fired 110 missiles targeting Syria on Saturday at 3:55 a.m. local time."
Syrian defense systems "intercepted most of the missiles but some hit targets including the Research Center in Barzeh."
The statement added that action against the Syrian regime "will not discourage our armed forces and supporting forces from continuing to crush the remnants of terrorist groups across Syria."
Israel: US-led strikes ‘enforce red line’ on SyriaCommenting on the overnight strikes on targets in Syria, an Israeli official said "last year, President Trump made clear that the use of chemical weapons crosses a red line. Tonight, under American leadership, the
United States, France and the
United Kingdom enforced that line."
"Syria continues to engage in and provide a base for murderous actions, including those of Iran, that put its territory, its forces and its leadership at risk," the official said.
Syria and Russia blamed Israel for striking an air base in Syria last week, in which a number of people were killed or injured. Israel has previously carried out multiple military operations in Syria.
Australia 'supports these strikes' against SyriaAustralia Defense Minister Marise Payne has issued a statement in support of strikes against the Syrian regime by the US, UK and France.
"Australia supports these strikes, which demonstrate a calibrated, proportionate and targeted response. They send an unequivocal message to the Assad regime and its backers, Russia and Iran, that the use of chemical weapons will not be tolerated," she said.
"The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances is illegal and utterly reprehensible. The Assad regime must not be allowed to commit such crimes with impunity."
Payne called for the UN Security Council to approve an independent investigation of the alleged chemical weapons attack, which the US has blamed on the Syrian regime but both Damascus and Moscow said was fabricated by rebels and their sympathizers.
UK Ministry of Defence tweets photos of planes used in strikes Syrian government will see this as a victoryAnalysis from CNN's Frederik Pleitgen in Beirut, Lebanon
I have been in Syria 20 times including with the Russian military and on 18 Syrian government visas.
The Syrian government will see this as a major victory. Three facilities were targeted but their air defenses appear to have managed to take out at least some of the missiles that were fired toward them and the Syrian military's capabilities have in no way been depleted.
Before the strikes there was grave concern that the US might conduct a wider-ranging air campaign which could endanger the Syrian military and perhaps even influence the civil war, which government forces have been winning since the Russians entered the scene.
It seems these strikes were more symbolic than anything else.
Syria: Air defenses shot down many missilesThe Russian news agency RIA added "over 100 cruise missiles and air to ground missiles were launched by the air and sea missile carriers of
USA, France and the UK, aimed at military and civilian objects of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported government forces "confronted on Saturday a tripartite aggression launched by the US, France and Britain on a number of sites in the surroundings of Damascus and Homs."
Targets included a research center in Barzeh and warehouses for the Syrian army in Homs, SANA said.
Air defenses over Homs "intercepted several missiles and downed them," it added.
"The missiles that targeted a military site in Homs have been intercepted to change their track and cause the injury of three civilians."
A building containing scientific labs and centers in Barzeh was destroyed, the report added.
Separately, Russian state-run outlet Sputnik said the majority of missiles launched against Syria were intercepted by air defenses.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Sputnik said, Syria repelled the Western attack using air defense systems made in the Soviet Union, including the S-125, BUK, and S-200.
France takes a hard line on use of chemical weaponsFrom CNN's Jim Bitterman in Paris
France has been very forward-leaning in advocating a strike on Syria after the alleged chemical weapons attacks a week ago.
On Friday, Paris took the unusual action of putting together a video, seen on government websites and Twitter accounts, which described the need for action and said that “France would shoulder its responsibility."
French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said joining in the attack was "legitimate, proportional and targeted” and justified the action without UN Security Council approval on the basis that diplomatic efforts in the UN to stop Syria from using chemical weapons were repeatedly blocked by the Russians, and that Syria had agreed in 2013 under Resolution 2118 to destroy chemical weapons stocks.
France employed cruise missiles fired from a frigate in the the eastern Mediterranean and stand off cruise missiles fired from Rafale aircraft based in France which had to be refueled numerous times in flight to accomplish the long mission.
Their stand off missiles have a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles) which kept them out of Syrian airspace when they fired.
No signs of Syrian or Russian retaliationFrom CNN's Ryan Browne in Washington DC
At this time, pro-regime or Russian forces in Syria are showing no signs of retaliation against US and coalition troops following the strikes, according an official with the US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria.
There are approximately 2,000 US troops currently inside Syria