
Syrians took to the streets of Damascus on Saturday in a show of defiant support for their leader, Bashar al Assad, the morning after airstrikes led by the US, UK and France wiped out two weapons facilities and a military command post in the city.

The crowds were unaffected by the West's categorization of Assad as an 'evil monster' and proudly held portraits of him in the air as they marched and drove through the streets. Some stood atop cars waving assault rifles and Syrian flags while dressed in army gear.

On Friday night, missiles lit up the sky as they closed in on their three targets. Some 110 were fired from Navy warships and jets as part of the coordinated attack.

Syria tried to shoot them down with its missile defense system but it remains unclear how many it was successful in bringing down.

On April 14, the morning after a coordinated missile attack by the US, UK and France in Damascus, Syrians take to the streets in support of President Bashar al Assad

The protesters hung out car windows as they moved in a slow procession through the Syrian capital on Saturday morning

A female protester waves a Syrian flag in support of President Assad on Saturday in Damascus, the day after the strikes

The strikes were prompted by the abhorrent April 7 chemical weapons attack in the rebel-held town of Douma which killed at least 70 people.

President Trump described the attack on Friday night as 'despicable' and said there is proof Assad is behind it.

Friday night's missile strikes were a direct challenge to Vladimir Putin who, along with Iran's leader, is one of Assad's few allies.

Up to 120 missiles rained down on the targets on Friday and took out what US officials described as a 'large' part of Syria's chemical arsenal as a result.

State TV showed the mangled ruins of the facilities on Saturday morning. It also claimed an educational center had been obliterated.

Four RAF Torpedos, a US Navy warship based in the Red Sea and US Air Force B-1 bombers were involved in carrying out the strikes.

Three civilians are feared to have been injured in the strikes but there are not thought to be any fatalities.

Assad supporters stand on the roof of a vehicle in Damascus, leading a crowd of pro-regime Syrians in a chant

The crowds waved Syrian flags and chanted pro-government slogans at the protest on Saturday morning

Children were among the crowds. They too hung out of windows and sunroofs waving flags and joining in with the chants

Protesters carry portraits of Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Saturday morning at a protest in a parking lot

Children participate in the protests in Damascus the day after missile strikes wiped out three targets which were storing chemical weapons

Trump celebrated the strikes on Saturday morning in two tweets

'We specifically identified these targets to mitigate the risk of Russian forces being involved,' Dunford told reporters, adding the U.S. military advised Russia of airspace that would be used in the strike but did not 'pre-notify them,' Marine General Joseph Dunford said on Friday night.

One of the targets was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area, which it described as a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry.

The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of the city of Homs.

'We assess that this was the primary location of Syrian sarin and precursor production equipment,' Dunford said.

The third target, which was also near Homs, contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and a command post.

Syrian state TV released images on Saturday of the mangled remains of the three targets in the wake of the attack

The footage show the wreckage of the chemical weapons research centre in Barzeh, near Damascus

Syria shot down some of the missiles as they approached the city on Saturday night. Their anti-aircraft fire lit up the sky too

Syria air defences strike back after air strikes by U.S., British and French forces in Damascus

This graphic shows the location of RAF Akrotiri, from which the four Tornados were launched from. America's Incirklik air base is pictured in the top of the image, although this was not used for the sorties, according to Turkey's deputy PM

President Trump heralded the strikes as a great success on Saturday morning.

In two tweets which he fired out between 8am and 8.30am, he said: 'A perfectly executed strike last night.

'Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!

'So proud of our great Military which will soon be, after the spending of billions of fully approved dollars, the finest that our Country has ever had.

'There won’t be anything, or anyone, even close!'

Syria denies its role in the chemical attack in Douma. Russia made the 'ludicrous' claim earlier in the week that it had been directed by British intelligence agencies.

As pro-government Syrians remained in Damascus, evacuees from Douma arrived in Aleppo to take refuge after being injured in the April 7 chemical weapons attack.

Children were seen arriving on buses to refugee camps with their arms and legs in casts.