WASHINGTON (AP) —   The United States has attacked a Syrian air base with roughly 60 cruise missiles in response to a chemical weapons attack it blames on President Bashar Assad.

U.S. officials say the Tomahawk missiles were fired from two warships in the Mediterranean Sea, targeting a government-controlled air base in Syria.

U.S. officials say Syrian government aircraft killed dozens of civilians by using chlorine mixed with a nerve agent, possibly sarin, earlier this week.

The bombing represents President Donald Trump’s most dramatic military order since taking office. The Obama administration threatened attacking Assad’s forces for previous chemical weapons attacks, but never followed through.

News from Associated Press  9:30PM CDT:

THE LATEST: TRUMP CALLS ON ALL NATIONS TO END SYRIA CARNAGE
President Donald Trump is calling on “all civilized nations” to join the U.S. in seeking an end to the carnage in Syria. Trump gave a brief statement Thursday shortly after the U.S. fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week’s gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians. Trump says “peace and harmony will prevail” so long as the U.S. continues to stand for justice

US MISSILES BLAST SYRIA BASE WHERE CHEM PLANES TOOK OFF
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The United States blasted a Syrian air base with a barrage of cruise missiles Thursday night in fiery retaliation for this week’s gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians. President Donald Trump cast the U.S. assault as vital to deter future use of poison gas and called on other nations to join in seeking “to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria.” It was the first direct American assault on the Syrian government and Trump’s most dramatic military order since becoming president just over two months ago. Announcing the assault from his Florida resort, Trump said there was no doubt Syrian President Bashar Assad was responsible for the chemical attack, which he said employed banned gases and killed dozens.