In a cabinet meeting, Monday, President Donald Trump said that he would make a decision soon on a likely military retribution to the chemical weapons attack he termed “barbaric” in Syria. He may also hold its backers, Russia and Iran, accountable for the attack which killed at least 49 people and affected over a hundred more over the weekend at Douma. The death toll may still rise as further investigations are done.
A further attack on a Syrian air base early Monday morning carried out by Israel, as said by Russia and Syria, killed about 14 people and further intensified the situation. Israel has denied the allegation.
President Trump met with senior military officers and national security officials Monday’s eve at the White House at which he appeared ready to order an airstrike against Syria as early as Tuesday. He told reporters at the cabinet meeting opening that “If it’s Russia, if it’s Syria, if it’s Iran, if it’s all of them together, we’ll figure it out and we’ll know the answers quite soon. So we’re looking at that very strongly and very seriously”. And suggested that President Vladimir Putin, whose troops in Syria support the government of President Bashar al-Assad, is responsible as well. He added that if he is, “Everybody’s going to pay a price. He will, everybody will”. Russia has said that the intended attack would be met with “grave consequences”.
The intended attack could also not be military but rather further economic sanctions or diplomatic isolation could be implemented. Trump has the ultimate say. Some European Union and British allies have also expressed their outrage over the chemical attack.
