US attack on Syria: key updates

Last night or early hours (GMT) today, the United States has launched a devastating attack on a Syrian airbase in the Idlib province with 60 Tomahawk missiles in response to Syrian government’s alleged chemical weapon attacks on innocent civilians. The American attack on Syria came a day after its UN envoy, Nikki Haley, threatened unilateral action against Damascus unless the UN Security Council acted collectively on the alleged attack. The US and its allies, Britain and France wanted the UNSC to pass a resolution blaming the Syrian government for the incident. Russia opposed it, saying a proper investigation was necessary before blame could be assigned to the case. Here are the updates,

• Pentagon released footage of the attack which showed missiles flying in the night skies towards the target. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Russia of failing to carry out the 2013 agreement to secure Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal, claiming that Moscow was either incompetent or complicit. He also added that ‘Assad must go’, which is a major change of stance.
• Bolivia calls for emergency UNSC meeting.
• US government’s action in Syria divided political class as well as the Republican Party. Many like Senator Rand Paul called the action unconstitutional while others like House speaker Paul Ryan commended the President.
• Iran condemned US airstrikes.
• French foreign minister said that the US informed it of the airstrike but asked for no help with that.
• Turkish Prime Minister called the strike a positive one.
• Polish spokesperson supported the US attack over the alleged use of chemical weapons by Assad government.
• French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen condemned the attack by saying that the US should have waited for an investigation.
• Reports are coming out that the air base was completely destroyed.
• Israel says that it was informed ahead of the attack.
• Britain supported the US attack but won’t join in.
• Both Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Merkel said that Assad is to blame for this attack.
• Russia issued a statement condemning the attack and called for urgent UNSC meeting.
• Russia also ended the memorandum of understanding with the United States over cooperation on Syrian skies.