The United States, France and Britain Launch Strikes on Syria Explosions rang out in Syria's capital city of Damascus as US aircraft and ships carried out "precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapon capabilities of Syrian dictator of Bashar al-Assad," President Trump said in an address. According to the AP, the strikes are in response to what President Trump called 'a criminal pattern of killing ... with internationally banned chemical weapons.' President Donald Trump The strikes were in coordination with France and the United Kingdom.