After chemical attack, Assad has to go — UN's Haley

Assad called the strike "reckless" act, while Putin called it a "violation of the norms of global law".

The action has inflicted "considerable damage" to already "lamentable" US-Russia ties, it added. Johnson, who condemned Moscow's continued defense of Assad, said Tillerson will be able to give a "clear and coordinated message to the Russians".

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday", McMaster said, "Russia should ask themselves, 'What are we doing here?"

"We are prepared to do more", he said.

"This morning, Bolivia requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss the events in Syria", the release said.

"Yes, that will part of the discussions when I visit Moscow next week is to call upon Foreign Minister (Sergey) Lavrov and the Russian government to fulfill the obligation it made to the worldwide community when it agreed to be the guarantor of the elimination of the chemical weapons", he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week".

Iran has used the term "terrorist groups" to refer to rebels, many backed by the United States, who are fighting against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

The senior military source, a non-Syrian, said only a few out-of-service jets were destroyed. On the ground, the USA action seems to have cemented the alliance between Moscow and Damascus further, with the former sending a warship to the Mediterranean and threatening to halt a "deconfliction" channel, a hot line between the Russian and US defence ministries to avoid direct confrontation in Syria.

"Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, can not go unanswered, and those responsible must be held accountable", he added.

President Donald Trump notified Congress on Saturday of the U.S. missile strikes on Syria days after the event, warning ominously of further actions "as necessary". "European Union will work with the United States to end brutality in Syria".

"This man who is now in office in America claimed that he wanted to fight terrorism but today all terrorists in Syria are celebrating the U.S. attack", Rouhani said in a speech aired by state television.

"The nation of Iran will remain alongside the Syrian nation in fighting terrorism and safeguarding Syria's territorial integrity", Rouhani said in the call on Saturday evening, according to a statement on the presidency website. It said the strikes were "intended to deter further attacks".

Is political transition a reality in Syria?

Moscow has sought to deflect blame from its long-time ally al-Assad over the incident and says Syrian jets struck a rebel arms depot where "toxic substances" were being put inside bombs.

"If you look at his actions, if you look at the situation, it's going to be hard to see a government that's peaceful and stable with Assad".

In a letter to Congress on Saturday, President Donald Trump said he "acted in the vital national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct foreign relations" and as commander in chief and chief executive in ordering the attack on Syria.

Elsewhere in Syria, at least seven people were killed in air strikes in Eastern Ghouta, near the capital Damascus. Asked whether she thought Russian Federation was trying to help Assad cover up the use of chemical weapons, Haley said either Moscow knew Assad had weapons that would be used or they were "played for fools by Assad and kept in the dark".

SYRIAN REBELS: A leading Syrian rebel group said one strike was "not enough", adding that there were "26 airbases that target civilians".

CANADA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada supports the strike.