Washington (April 14, 2018): US Defense Secretary James Mattis has said that together they 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.
He was speaking at the Pentagon an hour after President Trump announced the start of precision strikes on Syria.
Mattis said that President Trump directed the US military to conduct the operations with the goal of destroying the Syrian regime chemical weapons research and development and production capability.
He added: “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.”
Defense Secretary James Mattis said the selected targets specifically targeted the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons program.
These are the 3 targets hit in the strikes:
Whereas Air Vice Marshall Gavin Parker said the strikes launched at 9 p.m. ET tonight struck targets associated with the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons program.
Here are the three sites he listed:
1-A scientific research center located in Damascus.
2-A chemical weapons storage facility, which is located west of Homs, Syria.
3-The third target, which was in the vicinity of the second target, contained a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and an important command post.
“This wave of airstrikes is over”: US official
General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters tonight that this particular round of airstrikes are over.
“This wave of air strikes is over and that is why we’re out here speaking to you now,” he said.
However, defense officials made clear tonight in the Pentagon briefing that this is a sustained campaign, and strikes will officially end when the Syrian regime ceases its chemical weapons use.
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