Breaking: Trump orders military strike against Assad in Syria

President Trump said in an address to the country Friday from the White House that he had ordered a military strike in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack by Bashar al Assad on Syrian rebels and civilians.

"US administration official confirmed to me that a decision to strike #Syria has been taken," tweeted Joe Tabet, the Pentagon Correspondent for Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

There were reports that the president was meeting with his aides for hours on Friday to make a decision about whether to strike Syria and send a message that the use of chemical weapons will not be tolerated.

Prior to the reports of the alleged chemical attack, the president had said that he wanted to pull out of Syria completely.

Some, like Fox News' Tucker Carlson, have cast doubt on the claim that Assad used chemical weapons, saying that it would be nonsensical for him to do so after Trump hinted at the U.S. leaving the region. Others say Trump's concession encouraged Assad to become more extreme in his military measures against the rebels challenging his rule.