Mattis warns Syria over chemical weapons

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today it would be "ill-advised" for the Syrian government to ever again use chemical weapons, noting that an April 6 U.S. airstrike on Shayrat airfield destroyed or damaged 20 percent of the Syrian military's operational aircraft.

"The Syrian government has lost the ability to refuel or rearm aircraft at Shayrat airfield and at this point, use of the runway is of idle military interest," Mattis said in a statement.

Along with destroying military aircraft, the U.S. airstrike on Shayrat damaged or destroyed some Syrian air defense capabilities and military fuel and ammunition sites.
"The president directed this action to deter future use of chemical weapons and to show the United States will not passively stand by while Assad murders innocent people with chemical weapons, which are prohibited by international law and which were declared destroyed," Mattis said.

President Trump ordered the airstrike after a chemical weapons attack killed dozens in northern Syria and was widely blamed on the Assad regime.