Donald Trump's most dramatic military order since taking office has sent shock waves across the world.
Syria decried a US missile attack early on Friday morning on a government-controlled air base where US officials say the Syrian military launched a deadly chemical attack earlier this week, calling it an "aggression" that led to "losses."
Russia, who has provided military support for the Syrian government since September 2015, said that the air strikes could undermine efforts to fight against terrorism in Syria while Israel and Syrian rebels welcomed the attack.
About 60 US Tomahawk missiles hit the Shayrat air base, southeast of Homs, a small installation with two runways, where aircraft often take off to bomb targets in northern and central Syria. The US missiles hit at 3:45am on Friday morning and targeted the base's airstrips, hangars, control tower and ammunition areas, US officials said.
They were fired from two warships in the Mediterranean Sea, in retaliation for Tuesday's deadly chemical attack that officials said used chlorine mixed with a nerve agent, possibly sarin.
A military official quoted on Syrian TV said an air base in central Syria was hit early Friday, causing material damage. Another statement, also attributed to an unnamed official, referred to "losses." The officials did not elaborate.
Israel's prime minister has welcomed the US attack saying he "fully supports" Mr Trump's decision.
Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday in a statement that "in both word and action" Mr Trump "sent a strong and clear message" that "the use and spread of chemical weapons will not be tolerated."
Israel's Channel 2 TV said Israel along with other allies was notified about the US strike.
In the first official statement from Russia about the air strikes, the head of the country's upper house of parliament defence committee said that the strikes could undermine efforts to fight against terrorism in Syria, state media in Moscow reported.
Meanwhile, the Syrian National Coalition opposition group welcomed the US intervention and said it hoped they continue to stop Syrian government air strikes and "use of internationally banned weapons", an SNC media official told Reuters.
Homs Governor Talal Barazi claimed the targeted air base had been providing air support for army operations against Islamic State east of Palmyra.
"I believe - God willing - that the human casualties are not big, but there is material damage. We hope there are not many victims and martyrs," he told Reuters by telephone.
Speaking at dawn, he said rescue and fire-fighting operations had been going on for two hours at the base.
He said the attack was a form of "support for the armed terrorist groups, and it is an attempt to weaken the capabilities of the Syrian Arab Army to combat terrorism".
Speaking to Syrian state TV, Barazi said: "The Syrian leadership and Syrian policy will not change.
"This targeting was not the first and I don't believe it will be the last," he added. In separate comments to al-Mayadeen, a Lebanese TV station, he said: "The war against terrorism will continue."
Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's prime minister, said that the "Australian government strongly supports the swift and just response of the United States."
He told reporters in Sydney on Friday: "This was a calibrated, proportionate and targeted response. It sends a strong message to the Assad regime, and ... has been struck at the very airfield from which the chemical attack was delivered."
"But we are not at war with the Assad regime and the United States have made it clear that they are not seeking to overthrow the Assad regime," he added.
Shortly before the US attack was announced, the prime minister had hinted that Australia may be involved in an expanded US-led military strike on Syria following the chemical attack.
"We have condemned this attack utterly. It cries out for a strong response and we are in very … close and constant communication with our allies, in particular the United States," Mr Turnbull told 3AW radio.
He also confirmed that the US had briefed Australia on Friday prior to the strike.
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