Fans of Rachel Maddow have expressed their disgust at 'sexist' NBC after the anchor was replaced on the show by Brian Williams who referred to the US missiles against Syria as 'beautiful'.

Williams, the breaking news anchor for the network, appeared during Maddow's 9pm slot when news broke that the US military fired more than 50 missiles at the al-Shayrat base in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack on civilians.

Furious viewers accused the network of 'sexism' and said Maddow was more than competent to cover the news without any help from Williams.

The news was covered by Williams as he is the breaking news anchor for the network, meaning that during major events he takes over the airwaves at MSNBC no matter who may be hosting at that time.

All the other major networks did the same last night as well, and while her fans may be upset Maddow has not voiced any complaints about what happened during her show.

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Fans of Rachel Maddow have expressed their disgust at 'sexist' NBC after the anchor was replaced on the show by Brian Williams (pictured last night)

Viewers also took issue with some of Williams' comments on Thursday night, especially when he played videos of the missiles being launched and said: 'We see these beautiful pictures at night from the decks of these two US Navy vessels...

'I am tempted to quote the great Leonard Cohen, "I am guided by the beauty of our weapons."

'And they are beautiful pictures of fearsome armaments making what is for them a brief flight over this airfield.'

Christina Jacqueline wrote: 'Wtf? Brian Williams is waxing poetic about the beautiful photographs of missiles launching from ships. Why do they pay him?'

Amy Volz commented: 'Why did you bring in Brian Williams to cover breaking news during Maddow air time? Rachel is more than competent. #EverydaySexism'

Another said: 'Even MSNBC thinks Brian Williams, with his sketchiness, is more competent than a woman to handle breaking news. Put Maddow on now, please.'

Charles Clymer said: 'Rachel Maddow would never refer to a Tomahawk launch as "beautiful". What in the ever living hell is Brian Williams doing on her air time?'

Steven Trojanoski tweeted: 'I hate when s*** happens in the world and I have to put up with Brian Williams taking over Maddow's show. Maddow is 10x better than him.'

Maddow is also something of a military expert having written a book in 2012 about US's role in wars from the Vietnam War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

NBC was accused of sexism after Rachel Maddow was replaced on air by Williams

A U.S. Navy image shows the USS Ross (DDG 71) firing a tomahawk land attack missile at the Syrian air base last night

Smoke could be seen rising from the Homs airbase targeted by US missile strikes. The military action has already sparked a furious response from President Vladimir Putin, who this morning called the airstrikes an 'illegal act of aggression'

The strike was the first direct military action the US has taken against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in the country's bitter six-year civil war.

It came just days after a suspected sarin nerve agent attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun, which led to the agonizing deaths of 86 people including at least 27 children.

The US military fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Assad controlled al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs at 8.45pm (EDT) on Thursday, killing at least five and injuring many more.

But the military action has already sparked a furious response from President Vladimir Putin, who this morning called the airstrikes an 'illegal act of aggression'.

The Russian President, who has backed Assad militarily, warned of grave damage to relations between Washington and Moscow which are already 'in tatters'.