International community responds to Syria strikes: Russia calls for UN meeting while Syria vows to fight on

The UNited Nations security council will meet at 11am New York time today (3pm UK time) at Russia’s request.

Following air strikes on Syrian government targets last night, Vladimir Putin said in a statement earlier today that Russia would convene an emergency meeting to discuss the action.

He called the actions taken by the US, UK and France in response to a suspected use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime were an “act of aggression”.

“The current escalation around Syria is destructive for the entire system of international relations,” he added.

Meanwhile, Syria’s arm has said it will continue to fight against militant groups in the country.

“Such attacks will not deter our armed forces and allied forces from persisting to crush what is left of the armed terrorist groups,” the military said.

Syria’s foreign ministry described the action as “barbaric aggression” and said it would only lead to greater tension.

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But Israel supported the action, releasing a statement saying: “Syria continues to engage in and provide a base for murderous actions, including those of Iran, that put its territory, its forces and its leadership at risk.”

Yesterday Israel said that the Iranian drone it shot down in February had been launched from a Syrian base and had been loaded with explosives in order to attack.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called the military action of Western forces a crime. “Us allies will not gain any achievement from crimes in Syria,” he said in a speech reported by Iranian television.

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