The U.S., together with the U.K. and France, targeted three sites in Syria overnight in response to the Syrian regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians last weekend. The Pentagon said a total of 105 weapons were launched in the operation.
“This is going to set the Syrian chemical weapons program back for years,” Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, a director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Saturday morning.
Chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White described the target choices as “very methodical” and called it a “deliberate decision” to go after chemical weapons facilities.
Barzeh research and development center in Damascus
The Pentagon said 76 missiles were aimed at the research center located northeast of central Damascus. McKenzie said 57 of the missiles were Tomahawk missiles, adding that the strikes “successfully destroyed” three buildings in the city.
The research center was used for development, production and testing of chemical and biological warfare technology, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford said at a news conference Friday.
Before and after photos from the Pentagon show the Barzeh research and development center in Damascus.
Department of Defense
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said the facility was a former missile base where the Syrian regime keeps “chemical weapon precursors stockpiled in breach of Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.” It said the facility is located “some distance from any known concentrations of civilian habitation, reducing yet further any such risk.”
Images from The Associated showed the damage to the facility that was essentially reduced to rubble.
An image shows the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center in Barzeh, near Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, April 14, 2018.
Hassan Ammar / AP
Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site, west of Homs
The facility is located 15 miles west of Homs and was the primary location of Syrian serin and precursor production equipment, Dunford said.
Twenty-two weapons were aimed at the site, including naval cruise missiles and scout teams, McKenzie said Saturday.
Before and after photos from the Pentagon show the Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site west of Homs.
Department of Defense
Second chemical weapons storage site, west of Homs
Seven missiles targeted the bunker, which was successfully hit, Gen. McKenzie said Saturday. He said the missiles were delivered from British, French and U.S. from the Mediterranean, and each strike hit around 4 a.m. in Syria.
“This strike aimed to deliver a clear and unambiguous message to the Syrian regime that their use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians is inexcusable and to deter any future use of chemical weapons,” McKenzie said Saturday.
He said initial indications showed the strikes accomplished the Pentagon’s “military objections without material interference from Syria.”
Before and after photos from the Pentagon show the second Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site west of Homs.
Department of Defense
This story will be updated. Please check back for updates.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
