President Trump: Syrian airstrikes were of "vital national security interest"

WASHINGTON — The United States has attacked a Syrian air base with roughly 60 cruise missiles in response to a chemical weapons attack it blames on President Bashar Assad. The following updates are in chronological order with the newest information at the top of this article. Scroll to the bottom for a constantly-updating feed of reaction from around the country and the world.

10:30 p.m.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Russia has "failed" in its responsibility to deliver on a 2013 commitment to secure Syria's chemical weapons.

Tillerson briefed reporters shortly after the U.S. launched cruise missiles against a Syrian air base in retaliation for a gruesome chemical weapons attack. The secretary says Russia has either been complicit or "simply incompetent" in failing to deliver on its end of the agreement.

The agreement was struck after a 2013 chemical weapons attack. President Barack Obama threatened air strikes at the time, but ultimately pulled back on military action.

9:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump is calling on "all civilized nations" to join the U.S. in seeking an end to the carnage in Syria.

Trump gave a brief statement Thursday shortly after the U.S. fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians.

Trump says "peace and harmony will prevail" so long as the U.S. continues to stand for justice.

9:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. missile attack on a Syrian air base Thursday night was in the nation's "vital national security interest."

Trump says the United States must "prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons." He says there is "no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons."

Trump spoke to reporters after the United States attacked a Syrian air base with roughly 60 cruise missiles in response to a chemical weapons attack it blames on President Bashar Assad.

9 p.m.

The United States has attacked a Syrian air base with roughly 60 cruise missiles in response to a chemical weapons attack it blames on President Bashar Assad.

U.S. officials say the Tomahawk missiles were fired from two warships in the Mediterranean Sea, targeting a government-controlled air base in Syria.

U.S. officials say Syrian government aircraft killed dozens of civilians by using chlorine mixed with a nerve agent, possibly sarin, earlier this week.

The bombing represents President Donald Trump's most dramatic military order since taking office. The Obama administration threatened attacking Assad's forces for previous chemical weapons attacks, but never followed through.

Associated Press