The video will start in 8 Cancel

News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The Syrian President has said Donald Trump's airstrikes overnight were "reckless, irresponsible behaviour".

Bashar al-Assad's office has criticised the overnight strike at the Al-Shayrat airbase, south of the city of Homs.

Syrian state news claim the attack killed nine civilians including four children.

Vladimir Putin has called the US airstrikes an act of "aggression" which "violates international law".

A spokesman for the Russian President also says America's action damages the fight against terrorism.

President Trump said he ordered a massive military airstrike in Syria because it was in America's "national security interest".

(Image: REUTERS)

(Image: PA)

The US launched up to 60 Tomahawk missiles from Navy ships in the Mediterranean on Thursday night.

It is believed they bombarded the Al-Shayrat airbase, south of the city of Homs.

Syrian state TV claimed nine civilians - including four children - were killed by the US bombs.

(Image: REUTERS)

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov reportedly said the Russian leader, a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, regarded the US action as "aggression against a sovereign nation" on a "made-up pretext" and as a cynical attempt to distract the world from civilian deaths in Iraq.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Peskov was quoted as saying that Russia did not believe that Syria possessed chemical weapons and that the US move would inevitably create a serious obstacle to creating an international coalition to fight terrorism.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

The US believes Tuesday's chemical attack, which killed at least 70 people including many children, was launched by the Syrian regime.

Speaking from his Florida retreat in Mar-A-Lago, President Trump said: "On Tuesday, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.

"Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children.

"It was a slow and brutal death for so many. "

(Image: AFP)

"Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack.

"No child of God should ever suffer such horror.

"Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched. "

"It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.

"There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the chemical weapons convention and ignored the urging of the UN Security Council."

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

"Years of previous attempts at changing Assad's behavior have all failed, and failed very dramatically.

"As a result, the refugee crisis continues to deepen and region continues to destabilise, threatening the Unites States and its allies.

"Tonight I called on all civilised nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.

"We ask for God's wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world.

"We pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who have passed and we hope that as long as America stands for justice, then peace and harmony will in the end prevail."