9 planes ‘destroyed’ by US strike on Syria base

Nine planes as well as munition and fuel depots were destroyed in the US strike on Syria’s Shayrat airbase early Friday but the runway was intact, the Russian state channel Rossiya24 reported from the scene.

“According to preliminary information, nine Syrian airplanes were destroyed,” its correspondent said in a report from the base, broadcast hours after the strike at 0040 GMT Friday.

Stores with ammunition and fuel were also targeted, he said, adding that a fire and some explosions were ongoing.

“But not all equipment has been destroyed, there is some that was not impacted by the strike,” the correspondent said.

“The landing strip... is practically not impacted,” he added.

Footage showed the runway intact but covered in debris, as well as two planes sitting in concrete hangars.

The aircraft were apparently not heavily damaged while some other hangars were charred and surrounded by rubble.

Moscow slammed the attack ordered by US President Donald Trump as “thoughtless” and called it “aggression against a sovereign state” that violated international norms.

Trump ordered the strike in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack Tuesday after the UN Security Council failed to agree on a probe into the bombing that killed at least 86 people.

source: Alarabiya