Transcript for US launches military strike on Syrian air base

Overnight a major step for this new commander in chief tonight I ordered a targeted. Military assault. Or maybe airfield. In Syria from where. The chemical attack. Was launched. The president addressing the nation from his Florida State leveling a harsh indictment against Syrian president Bashar Assad using deadly nerve agent. This choked out the lives of they'll listen and women. And children. US destroyers and eastern Mediterranean. Dozens of tomahawk missiles on with Syrian air field targeting runway. Aircraft and fueling areas to make the field inoperable. It's the same airfield used by Syria launched Tuesday's chemical attack. Which shocked the world. As many as 86 people were killed more than half of whom were women and children. Turkish officials who have examined the bodies now saying it was the nerve agent Sarin. It is did this vital national security arrangements from the United States. To prevent it can carry this read a news. Of deadly chemical weapons. President trumps response marks an about face for a man who repeatedly said on the campaign trail. That is primary target in Syria would be ices not be Asad regime. Just two days ago he said this. I am not and I don't want to be the president of the world I'm the president of the United States and from now on. It's going to be America first. But after seeing Tuesday's images the president said. He had a dramatic change of heart. Okay. Okay. What happened seriousness. Humanity. There are yeah. And something did happen overnight and Alex is joining us now by the phone. Alex you just arrived in Lebanon which is right next door to Syria and you've reported from Syria as well what's the reaction from your post this morning. Good morning to plug debate start there direction certainly eating out the Syrians are always gets an aggression and just a short while ago the Syrian military audience David Banks it. Picked people were killed on that date because the American strikes are saying. Says there were big myth serial losses as well. Now the condemnation it steers clear saying that the US US now is in the same league as I eat this and al-Qaeda. And other terrorist organizations. Because of this strike against their air base period. And Alex again aside it as well as Russia. Saying that this was not done by the Syrian government these chemical attacks that prompted president trump. To launch these missiles what does the other international reaction there in the Middle East. Well what we're seeing a positive. Reaction from Israel which. There is that the that trump is spending a strong message to president put god and his allies that would be expected for prime minister Netanyahu. The big one that we have to watch is the Russian reaction this series of course you'd be angry about this but the Russians are extremely important and we are short time ago. From the spokesman of president Putin's call yes. And aggression against the sovereign state in violation of international law the Russians as. Called the emergency needs session at the UN security council for what most prevalent so far is that just moments ago that led to their. To spending an agreement between US and Russia which governs. The bears' fate over to Syria. That would put inflate the third ward any incident. In that airspace there wasn't any sort of escalation that's the big furor right now there could be some sort of escalation about what we're watching carefully. And a lot of people are wondering this morning what impact a mean these missiles appear to be able ohm one off thing for the US military what impact will this have on the Asad regime. Well there's no doubt that more than anything else that there's strike. A girl under a shot across the bow on Edgar military said the worst to hit in material law who. Overall it argued there right now. That that he impact. I'm their military campaign but more than anything else this. The US. Effective trump saying you can't carry out these types of chemical weapons attack. We are watching you will respond. In all likelihood. We will not the reactions from deterioration in the battery very much from these. All right Alex Marquardt reporting for us. From a whether or not we thank you.

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