From strong messages of support to fierce condemnation, here are the main global reactions to a US strike on a Syria air base in response to a suspected chemical attack.
Against
Russia
Unsurprisingly, the main ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was robust in its opposition to the strike. The strikes were an “aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international norms”, the Kremlin said.
In addition, the action has inflicted “considerable damage” to already “lamentable” US-Russia ties, the Kremlin warned in a statement.
“The Syrian army does not have any chemical weapon stockpiles,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“The fact of destruction of all chemical weapon stockpiles of the Syrian armed forces was recorded and confirmed by the (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons).”
Iran
The Iranian regime said it “strongly condemned” the strike as it condemns “all unilateral military action”. It said the action was taken under the “pretext” of the chemical strike.
Iran, with Russia, is the closest ally of the Assad regime and has provided money, weapons, military advisers and trainers, as well as volunteer militiamen to support it in the six-year civil war.
Its foreign ministry spokesman said that the US strike would merely “help the terrorist groups, which are on the back foot, and further complicate the situation in Syria and in the region”.
For
Saudi Arabia
A foreign ministry official hailed US President Donald Trump as “courageous” for taking action when “the international community has failed to put a halt to the regime's actions”.
Britain
The close American ally said it “fully supported” the strikes, judging them an “appropriate response to the barbaric chemical weapons attack”.
It said the strikes were “intended to deter further attacks”.
Turkey
Nato ally Turkey, which is a key player in the Syria conflict and has endured choppy relations with Washington recently, welcomed the strikes as “positive”.
The deputy foreign minister added: “We believe that the Assad regime must be punished completely in the international arena.”
Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “fully supports” the “strong and clear message” sent by the air strikes. He added that the message should "resonate not only in Damascus, but in Tehran, Pyongyang and elsewhere".
A White House official said 59 precision-guided Tomahawk missiles hit the Shayrat airfield, from where the US believes the attack was launched. A monitoring group said the base was nearly destroyed with four soldiers killed.
