USA says strike hits 20% of Syrian aircraft

At least one former Obama administration official praised President Trump: Anne-Marie Slaughter praised the move against Assad, telling Politico: “The years of hypocrisy just hurt us all”.

The report says that “pro-opposition social media reports” began suggesting an attack shortly before 7 a.m. local time on April 4, while Russia’s explanation maintained an airstrike occurred around noon local time.

He insisted the option of sanctions remained on the table and said there would now be an investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Though such comments hint at a more activist USA foreign policy focused on preventing humanitarian atrocities, Trump’s administration has generally downplayed human rights concerns while promoting an “America First” strategy de-emphasizing the concerns of foreign nations.

Now, the Trump administration’s decision to undertake a retaliatory strike in response to the chemical weapons attack could give Tillerson leverage in his talks in Moscow.

And while viewing the airbase strike as decisive, most commentators are not seeing a radical change in the U.S. approach to Syria. “Obama needs Congressional approval”, the businessman tweeted in 2013. “And the missile strike really came as a shock and will overshadow the talks”.

Russian Federation has so far stood strongly behind the Syrian government, which denies that it launched the April 4 nerve gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun, which killed at least 87 people.

Mr Tillerson is aiming to put Western pressure on Russian Federation to alter course on its support for the Syrian regime after attending a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Lucca, Italy.

The U.S. strikes hit the government-controlled Shayrat air base in central Syria, where U.S. officials say the Syrian military planes that dropped the chemicals had taken off.

Russia’s General Staff says the Syrian government is willing to let global experts to examine its military base for signs of chemical weapons.

On Monday, the USA upped the stakes significantly by accusing Russia of knowing in advance of the chemical attack and using a Russian-operated drone to help cover it up.

He declined to draw a “red line” for additional intervention against Assad.

The avoidance of the runways has become more of an issue since last Friday, when reports surfaced that Syrian warplanes had carried out attacks from the installation, leading some to question the efficacy of the US response.

He opted instead for a Russian-backed plan that was supposed to lead to the removal and elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. Moscow is a staunch ally of President Bashar Assad whom the United States blamed for the chemical attack.

The United States and Russian Federation were on a collision course over the alleged Syrian chemical attack on Wednesday as Washington’s top diplomat prepared for talks in Moscow.

The Trump administration has found itself increasingly at loggerheads with Putin’s government over the past month, as expectations of a second relationship “reset” dim. A joint command center made up of the forces of Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia said on Sunday it would respond to any new aggression, and that its support for Assad would increase.