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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Day 2:Joint US, France, UK attack launched on Syria on rural Damascus
2018-04-14
Further developments after the announcement immediately followed by the commencement of activities late yesterday.
[ALMASDARNEWS] Minutes ago, the U.S., La Belle France, and the U.K. launched a barrage of cruise missiles towards rural Damascus, causing massive kabooms near the Dumayr Airbase in the eastern Qalamoun.

While the site is still unknown, al-Masdar’s field correspondent in Damascus reported that the strike is hitting the rural Damascus countryside near or possibly the Dumayr Airbase.

The Dumayr Airbase is the military installation the Syrian Air Force used to launch Arclight airstrikes on the East Ghouta during Operation Damascus Steel.

The Syrian Air Defense has responded in a bid to down the cruise missiles; however, many cruise missiles have already struck the area.

Al-Masdar previously reported that the Dumayr Airbase was the likely target because the airstrikes on the East Ghouta were launched from this site.

Trump orders military strike against Syria

[PRESSTV] US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
 has ordered a military strike against Syria.

The US along with Britannia and La Belle France launched a military assault against Syria on Friday.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May also said she has authorized the British armed forces to conduct coordinated and targeted strikes.

The US has been threatening Damascus with military action since April 7, when a suspected chemical attack on the Syrian town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta, reportedly killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. The Syrian government has already strongly denied
No, no! Certainly not!
 using chemical munitions in the flashpoint town.

Syrian air defenses 'shoot down 13 of the missiles' fired in hour-long U.S-led attack on three weapons 'research centers' and military bases across Damascus and Homs

[DailyMail]
  • The United States and its allies waged up to 120 air strikes on Syria on Friday in a 'one time shot'

  • Syrian state TV says 13 missiles fired in US-led attack had been shot down

  • Missiles were shot down in the Kiswah area south of Damascus, reports say

  • President Donald Trump said Friday evening he ordered precision strikes in Syria

  • Said it was in retaliation for Bashar al-Assad's poison gas attack last weekend

  • At least one US Navy warship based in the Red Sea took part in the strikes. US B-1 bombers were also used.

  • The Defense Department will provide a brief at 9:00a.m.
The usual photos and videos can be seen at the link, which had already updated twice before this article was added.
Update at 12:10 p.m. EDT: The Daily Mail updated again just before noon, and the Telegraph has been liveblogging since last night from a British perspective. See here. So is the Guardian, courtesy of Besoeker:
Syria crisis: Trump says strikes have been ordered against Assad regime – live

[Guardian] 9.14pm 13 April 2018: Explosions heard in Damascus. Reuters says witnesses in Damascus have heard several large explosions and seen smoke on the east side of the city. Douma lies to the north-east. It is unclear if these are related to the US president’s announcement.
Posted by:Fred

#30  Israeli's may have just struck Iranian forces in Aleppo, Syria. Explosions reported.
Posted by: Ulaigum Ebbineng7056   2018-04-14 20:07  

#29  #28 There were 3 large building at the Barsar complex alone, used for R&D for Assad's chemical weapons' program. Those three large buildings are now gone.
Posted by: Percy Chearong3037 2018-04-14 18:46

Security personnel that survived the first strike are probably in Lebanon by now and still running for their lives.
Posted by: Ulaigum Ebbineng7056   2018-04-14 20:00  

#28  There were 3 large building at the Barsar complex alone, used for R&D for Assad's chemical weapons' program. Those three large buildings are now gone.
Posted by: Percy Chearong3037   2018-04-14 18:46  

#27  Here Are All The Details The Pentagon Just Released Regarding Its Missile Attack On Syria (Updated)

Some nice before and after pix.
Posted by: Anomalous Sources   2018-04-14 16:30  

#26  Still looking for analysis of S400 effectiveness; over 100 missiles for 3 not huge factories seems a bit like over-saturation. Small warheads to reduce collateral damage?
Posted by: Mecutio   2018-04-14 16:29  

#25  Reminds me of Ronald Reagons style of miltary retaliations. Limited but meaningful, but threatening to swing the big stick if neccessary, and people knew he would.
Posted by: Omeger Gray6606   2018-04-14 15:21  

#24  U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, hammered the Russian response and also reminded Assad and everyone else that under the current administration, red lines will be enforced.
Nikki Haley: "I spoke to the president this morning, and he said 'if the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded."
"When our president draws a red line, our president enforces the red line."
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2018-04-14 14:38  

#23  Well Done!

The Aviationist » Everything We Know (And No One Has Said So Far) About The First Waves Of Air Strikes On Syria.
Posted by: newc   2018-04-14 14:34  

#22  Cute, Besoeker. :-)

Ynet reports Israel was notified at least twelve hours before the attack.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-04-14 12:59  

#21  Two of the numerous imperialist missiles downed by the crafty ophthalmologist impacted this facility south of Damasucs near Kiswah, reports say. An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council will be presented with empty cartons as further proof.
Posted by: Besoeker   2018-04-14 12:51  

#20  Say, wouldn't this be the perfect time for Vlad to turn loose the video of Trump with the two Russian hookers and also detailed information about his guys conspiring with Trump's guys to rig the election? The whole point about the hooker video is that it would let Vlad blackmail Trump, right?
Posted by: Matt   2018-04-14 12:44  

#19  Besoeker, I stacked your Guardian live blog with the other articles in this post, so it will get the attention it deserves. When they are good, they are very, very good.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-04-14 12:19  

#18  

Posted by: 3dc   2018-04-14 11:26  

#17  Yup as the joke goes: If Trump walked across the water to save someone from drowning, he would get criticized for not being able to swim.
Posted by: JohnQC   2018-04-14 11:03  

#16  Reuter's take on Trump's "Mission Accomplished" Tweet. Whatever Trump did or did not do would be spun as a negative.
Posted by: magpie   2018-04-14 10:34  

#15  I wrote a paper back in high school on the Russo-Japanese war. What struck me at the time was how could Annapolis students studying Japan as the obvious threat in the Pacific not learn the obvious lessons from the battle of Port Author.
Posted by: Percy Gruse2209   2018-04-14 10:22  

#14  One of the seminal incidents Russian historians point to as the beginning of the end of the Romanov dynasty.
Posted by: badanov   2018-04-14 09:55  

#13  The name Tsushima is being tossed about by some Russians
Posted by: badanov   2018-04-14 09:52  

#12  They used the old bombs Joe.
Gotta make room for the fresh ones.
Posted by: Skidmark   2018-04-14 09:10  

#11  Seems like a waste of our precious bombs.
Posted by: Regular joe   2018-04-14 08:33  

#10  Clobbering chemical plants should make the Germans happy. They see sales opportunities ahead...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2018-04-14 08:15  

#9  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for wiping out chemical weapons facilities in the M.E. but has anyone figured out what chemical weapons were used at Douma? What were the chemical weapons facilities that were wiped out in the missile strike? The facilities that were targeted must have been in place for some time and known.

Otherwise, what Besoeker and g(r)omgoru said. However, you ought to issue a warning. My keyboard almost got wiped out due to a coffee spill.
Posted by: JohnQC   2018-04-14 07:51  

#8  ^ROTFLMAO
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2018-04-14 05:23  

#7  Does all of this mean that President Trump is no longer an agent of Putin ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2018-04-14 05:18  

#6  I guess it's only a matter of time before Gazans arrange a chemical attack on themselves.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2018-04-14 03:19  

#5  IMO, an exercise in overbearing arrogance, but Gaza Health Ministry: Number of wounded now at 969, one dead and nobody pays any attention.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2018-04-14 03:12  

#4  So far, all the Russians have done is what the left here does all the time, called Trump 'Hitler'.
Posted by: Ulaigum Ebbineng7056   2018-04-14 02:27  

#3  Thank you for your work, TW. Statement from General Mattis to the world:


Good evening. As the world knows, the Syrian people have suffered terribly under the prolonged brutality of the Assad regime.

On April 7th, the regime decided to again defy the norms of civilized people, showing callous disregard for international law by using chemical weapons to murder women, children and other innocents.

We and our allies find these atrocities inexcusable. As our commander in chief, the president has the authority under Article II of the Constitution to use military force overseas to defend important U.S. national interests.

The United States has an important national interest in averting a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Syria, and specifically deterring the use and proliferation of chemical weapons.

Last year, in response to a chemical weapons attack against civilians and to signal the regime to cease chemical weapons use, we targeted the military base from which the weapons were delivered.

Earlier today, President Trump directed the U.S. military to conduct operations, in consonance with our allies, to destroy the Syrian regime's chemical weapons research, development and production capabilities.

Tonight, France, the United Kingdom and the United States took decisive action to strike the Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure.

Clearly, the Assad regime did not get the message last year. This time, our allies and we have struck harder.

Together, we have sent a clear message to Assad, and his murderous lieutenants, that they should not perpetrate another chemical weapons attack for which they will be held accountable.

The 70 nations in the defeat ISIS coalition remain committed to defeating ISIS in Syria.

The strike tonight separately demonstrates international resolve to prevent chemical weapons from being used on anyone, under any circumstance, in contravention of international law.

I want to emphasize that these strikes are directed at the Syrian regime. In conducting these strikes, we have gone to great lengths to avoid civilian and foreign casualties. But it is time for all civilized nations to urgently unite in ending the Syrian civil war by supporting the United Nations backed Geneva peace process.

In accordance with the chemical weapons convention prohibiting the use of such weapons, we urge responsible nations to condemn the Assad regime and join us in our firm resolve to prevent chemical weapons from being used again.

General Dunford will provide a military update.

Based on recent experience, we fully expect a significant disinformation campaign over the coming days by those who have aligned themselves with the Assad regime.

In an effort to maintain transparency and accuracy, my assistant for public affairs, Dana White, and Lt. Gen. McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff, will provide a brief of known details tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
Posted by: Ulaigum Ebbineng7056   2018-04-14 00:39  

#2  Great minds, Ulaigum Ebbineng7056, or at least like-minded minds in my case. ;-) While you efficiently added the Daily Mail link to your comment, I was working it up to add to the stacked articles in the post, above. Thank you for helping make Rantburg the place where people can quickly find out what’s going on out there.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-04-14 00:33  

#1  Trump targeted strictly chemical manufacturing facilities at 3 locations before dawn on Saturday morning.

No people were targeted.

Locations of the chemical manufacturing facilities via Daily Mail UK
Posted by: Ulaigum Ebbineng7056   2018-04-14 00:03  

00:00