President Trump Announces Strikes In Syria

President Trump on Friday night announced he has directed the U.S. military to conduct precision strikes in Syria, in response to the chemical weapons attack that left dozens dead on Sunday.

"A short time ago, I ordered the U.S. Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad," the president said from the White House.

"A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now under way," he continued.

Mr. Trump claimed the U.S. is "prepared to sustain" a response to curtail Syria until the Syrian regime stops using chemical weapons on its citizens, meaning this might not be the last use of military capabilities in Syria.

"We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents," Mr. Trump said.

The president also called out Iran and Russia, saying Syria would not have been able to carry out such an action if Russia had been a responsible nation. Russia has pledged to retaliate if the U.S. strikes Syria.

"I also have a message tonight for the two governments most responsible for supporting, equipping and financing the criminal Assad regime," Mr. Trump said. "To Iran and to Russia I ask: what kind of nations wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women and children? The nations of the world, can be judged by the friends they keep. No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants and murderous dictators."

"President Putin and his government promised the world that they would guarantee the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons," Mr. Trump continued. "Assad's recent attack and today's response are the direct result of Russia's failure to keep that promise.  Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path or if it will join with civilized nations as a force of stability and peace."

The president's announcement comes shortly after he said he hopes and intends to pull out of Syria " very soon," before this latest chemical attack.

The president's announcement comes one year after he announced strikes in Syria following a separate chemical weapons attack. The White House had kept a tight lid on the military action ahead of Friday night, and hours before the strikes were directed, said no final plans had been made. Shortly before Mr. Trump's announcement, Vice President Mike Pence, who is in South America, was hurriedly rushed back to his motorcade and hotel with no explanation, fueling speculation that something could be happening with Syria. 

Pence called House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to inform her of the strikes, CBS News' Rebecca Kaplan reports.

There are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Syria as of the last numbers the Pentagon released. But Mr. Trump insisted Friday night the U.S. does not intend to have a permanent presence in Syria. 

"Increased engagement from our friends including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, and other can assure that Iran does not profit from the eradication of ISIS," the president said. "America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria. Under no circumstances."

Mr. Trump took no questions. The Pentagon is expected to give additional updates at 10 p.m.

Mr. Trump described a very specific type of target that the U.S. would go after, which are Syria's chemical weapon capabilities. That could be everything from aircraft that dropped chemical weapons to the headquarters that control the forces that drop the chemical weapons, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.

Shortly after Mr. Trump's announcement, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May announced she authorized her country's forces to conduct "precision strikes" with America and France against Syria in the wake of the chemical attack that left dozens injured this week.

"This persistent pattern of behavior must be stopped -- not just to protect innocent people in Syria from the horrific deaths and casualties caused by chemical weapons but also because we cannot allow the erosion of the international norm that prevents the use of these weapons," May said in a statement.

She added, "This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change. It is about a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region and that does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties."

This is a developing story and will be updated. Read more on CBSNews.com