Syria war: US missile strikes brings angry Russian response

[DFighter]

Russia has promised to strengthen Syria's anti-aircraft defences after the US bombarded a Syrian air base with missiles, reportedly destroying it.

US officials said the base had been used to launch a chemical weapons attack in north-western Syria that left dozens of civilians dead on Tuesday.

Russia, which backs President Bashar al-Assad, condemned the US strike.

It also suspended a deal with the US designed to avoid collisions between their air forces over Syria.

In the first direct US military action against Syria's government, at least six people are reported to have been killed.

Some 80 civilians, including many children, died in the suspected nerve gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province. Syria denies using nerve gas.

The UN Security Council is meeting to discuss the US missile strikes, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging restraint.

Cruise missiles fly low and have a relatively small radar cross-section so they are difficult to destroy with air defences. Russia may seek to improve Syria's surface-to-air missile system in the wake of this US attack but it would be very much a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Russia has some of its most modern surface-to-air missile systems at its air base in Syria and radars with a huge reach but, for whatever reason, they too have not deterred Israeli strikes.

Their presence makes air strikes by manned US aircraft unlikely and for Washington the Tomahawk cruise missile will remain the weapon of choice

It said the base was used to store chemical weapons and that "every precaution" had been taken to avoid casualties. The Russian military was informed beforehand, the Pentagon said.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, US President Donald Trump said in a statement that he had acted to prevent the use of chemical weapons.

Full article + Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39529264