Yet another mess for the Trump administration to clean up…Remember Obama’s red line? Yes, it’s why we’re in this mess now and why hundreds of thousands of Syrians are dead after 7 years of ignoring the red line. After numerous cases of horrific brutality against his own people, Trump sends a signal of strength to Syria’s Assad:

The US has taken military action in Syria. Around 50 tomahawk missiles hit airbase responsible for killing dozens of Syrians including dozens of babies:
The United States launched dozens of cruise missiles Thursday night at a Syrian airfield in response to what it believes was the Syrian government’s use of banned chemical weapons blamed for having killed at least 100 people on Tuesday, U.S. military officials told NBC News.

Two U.S. warships in the Mediterranean Sea fired at least 50 Tomahawk missiles intended for a single target — Ash Sha’irat in Homs province in western Syria, the officials said. That’s the airfield from which the United States believes the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fired the banned weapons.

There was no immediate word on casualties. U.S. officials told NBC News that people were not targeted and that aircraft and infrastructure at the site, including the runway, were hit.

Reports of Syria removing its chemical weapons were greatly exaggerated:

This is a clear and pretty dramatic shift in policy. A month ago, Bashar al-Assad in the eyes of the US was part of the solution, considered useful in the fight against so-called Islamic State.
Then yesterday, President Trump said his position had changed, that the Assad regime had crossed many lines. The implication was that there could be military action.

Russia’s deputy UN envoy warned of “negative consequences” of any US military strike on Syria.
“All the responsibility… will be on shoulders of those who initiated such doubtful and tragic enterprise,” Vladimir Safronkov said.

Addressing reporters on his way to Florida to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mr Trump said: “I think what Assad did is terrible. I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity and he’s there, and I guess he’s running things, so something should happen.”

Also on Thursday, Mr Tillerson said: “Assad’s role in the future is uncertain and with the acts that he has taken, it would seem that there would be no role for him to govern the Syrian people.

“We are considering an appropriate response (to the) violations of all previous UN resolutions, violations of international norms.”
He said “steps were under way” to organise an international coalition to remove Mr Assad.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asked if he was concerned about possible US military action in Syria, said his priority was to ensure accountability for the deadly gas attack.
He said he could not comment on “things that have not yet happened”.

Read more: NBC