Syrian air defenses shot down 13 missiles fired in a U.S.-led attack on the country on Saturday, Syrian state TV said.
It said the missiles had been shot down in the Kiswah area south of Damascus, the capital.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a total of three scientific research centers had been hit in the attacks – two in Damascus and one in the Homs area – in addition to military bases in Damascus.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced that he ordered a strike on Syria in response to last weekend’s alleged chemical weapons attack.
Addressing the nation Friday evening, Trump said the strike is currently underway.
The strike came as Trump has alluded to military action in Syria all week, even tweeting on Wednesday that Russia should be “ready” because “nice and new and ‘smart’” missiles “will be coming.” But Thursday, he seemed to walk back that statement, tweeting military action “could be very soon or not so soon at all.”
Trump has reportedly been moved by images of the chemical weapons attack on the Syrian city of Douma outside of Damascus all week, calling it “atrocious.”“We cannot allow atrocities like that. Cannot allow it,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, adding he expected to make a decision on a response in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Images showed victims of the alleged attack foaming at the mouth.
Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford met with the President at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Syria. There were additional National Security Council meetings on Thursday and Friday.
Trump also spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May several times by phone this week. The administration said previously any response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s alleged chemical weapons use would be done in consultation with allies.
