I think what happens next, as i said, equipping the free syrian army, moving forward with taking mosul and raqqa, and creating safe havens for these refugees. We need to know if the plan is now to topple assad come need know what the post assad syria will look like, how we get there and how that makes the American People safer. I think the white house should bring to us their plan on syria. I hope that what the plan would contain would be the establishment of a humanitarian zone in Northern Syria where we can deliberate deliver aid to syrians that would be protected by u. S. And other nations military assets from the Bashar Alassad rise. I appreciate President Trump making that case to congress about what further military action should be taken if any pair there are some folks in congress who want to see us in protracted military involvement in syria. I think that would be a mistake. Julie conor powell is live from the syriaisrael border with the very latest. The u. S. Response to tues
Air base president asood usad uo launch a deadly chemical weapons attack. This marks the very first direct military action by the United States against the Syrian Regime during that countrys sixyear civil war. And in that time the United Nations estimates that 400,000 syrians have been killed. Also notable in that time, donald trump spoke out against, repeatedly, the same kind of action that President Trump just carried out. Were covering all the angles with our team of reporters all around the world this morning. Lets begin with jim sciutto. Thats right, john. The very latest now, we know that u. S. And Russian Military commanders communicated after the strike. Thats key. Those lines of communication open. Two, were getting the first damage assessments from the pentagon. They say 58 of those 59 missiles hit their targets, caused moderate to significant damage. As you mentioned, this was a very specific operation with a specific target. This air base that the u. S. Believes was used to
The damaged airfield as syria says nine people were killed, others wounded. The president of the United States addressing the nation. It is in this Vital National security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons. Russia condemns the u. S. Attack calling the accusations, quote, trumped up. And vowing to help syria combat more air strikes. While new questions arise this morning, what is the president s end game . And what will syrias leader do next . We got a lot to get through this morning. I want to start with what exactly we know right now about the u. S. Missile strike. The first to target the assad regime during their sixyearlong civil war. All right 8 40 p. M. Eastern last tight, 3 40 a. M. Local, 59 tomahawk missiles fired from u. S. Naval ships in the mediterranean into the shayrat airfield in western syria. Less than an hour and a half later, President Trump spoke to the American People and called for other countries to jo
Launch the missile strike against the assad regime. The latest from our security correspondent, jim sciutto. As always, in the case of syrian stories, we must warn you, some of the images in his report are graphic. The u. S. Military the investigating whether russia was complicit in the Syrian Regimes gruesome chemical weapons attack on civilians earlier this week. Whether a russian war plane dropped a bomb on victims of the attack five hours later, perhaps to destroy evidence. U. S. Intelligence shows that a russian drone flew over the hospital site just before the bombing. The probe comes after President Trump ordered a barrage of missiles on a seyrian air base n retaliation for the deadly attack. The first u. S. Military strike against the assad regime in the bloody sixyear war. U. N. Ambassador nikki haley warned of further military action. The United States took a very measured step last night. We are prepared to do more. But we hope that will not be necessary. Reporter the target
Intercepted by u. S. Fighter jets . Reporter wolf, the second incident in two days, this time these bear bombers flying within about 36 miles or so of the alaskan coastline. Again account u. S. Military runs regular air patrols up there where they have long range radars that watch for this sort of thing. They didnt come into u. S. Air space but they sent up u. S. Aircraft in response and they escorted them out of the area. The second incident . Two days and we hadnt seen russian aircraft in that region for some time. Theyve been flying and being intercepted much further to the south. So the question is, is this the start of a new provocation campaign by the russians or are they just out there flying around essentially trying to ping the system, see what response they get from the u. S. Military. U. S. Military commanders noting all of this, not unduly concerned at had point but the just finding it all very curious and keeping an eye on the russians, wolf. Im sure they are. Stand by for