'I'll thump Syria' - Donald Trump vowed to launch airstrikes on Assad in Syria to prove

In the early hours of Friday morning, the US launched 59 “precision-guided” cruise missiles into the Shayat Airfield in Syria.

Washington DC officials had told opposite numbers in London to expect the president to order surgical strikes on Syrian regime targets.

President Trump also started telling members of Congress that he was considering military action in Syria.

He had already told America that the dawn attack on Tuesday morning that killed at least 86 people – including 27 children – “crossed a lot of lines for me”.

DC officials have told opposite numbers in London to expect the president to order surgical cruise missiles strikes.

Before launching the Tomahawk missile strike, Trump declared “something should happen” to derail Syrian despot Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said “steps were under way” to organise an international coalition to oust Assad.