Wink.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria (all times local):
9:30 a.m.
The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments.
Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, says: "None of our aircraft or missiles involved in this operation were successfully engaged by Syrian air defenses." He says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria.
The Russian military had previously said Syria's Soviet-made air defense systems downed 71 out of 103 cruise missiles launched by the United States and its allies.
McKenzie says 105 weapons were launched against three targets in Syria.
Characterizing the strike as a success, McKenzie says, "As of right now we're not aware of any civilian casualties."
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9:20 a.m.
The Pentagon says the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria "successfully hit every target."
Chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said Saturday that the strikes were launched to "cripple Syria's ability to use chemical weapons in the future."
The U.S., France and Britain launched military strikes on Saturday morning in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad (bah-SHAR' AH'-sahd) for an apparent chemical attack against civilians last week and to deter him from doing it again.
White says the strikes do not "represent a change in U.S. policy or an attempt to depose the Syrian regime." But she says, "We cannot allow such grievous violations of international law."
She also called on Russia to "honor its commitment" to ensure the Assad regime gives up chemical weapons.
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9 a.m.
Russia's Foreign Ministry says the U.S. and its allies launched strikes on Syria to derail an investigation into a purported chemical attack.
The U.S., Britain and France said they launched Saturday's strike to punish Syrian President Bashar Assad for an alleged chemical attack against civilians in the town of Douma outside Damascus.
The Foreign Ministry said that facts presented by Russian investigators indicated the purported attack was a "premeditated and cynical sham."
The ministry noted that the strikes were launched on Saturday as a team of experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was to visit Douma. It added that "we have every reason to believe that the attack on Syria was intended to hamper the work of the OPCW inspectors."
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8:45 a.m.
President Donald Trump is using a haunting political phrase "Mission Accomplished" in the aftermath of the U.S.-led airstrikes against Syria.
Back in 2003, then-President George W. Bush spoke under a "Mission Accomplished" banner when he went aboard an aircraft carrier in California to declare that major combat operations in Iraq were over — just six weeks after the invasion.
But the war dragged on for many years after that, and Bush was heavily criticized for his statement.
Trump is tweeting about what he calls "a perfectly executed strike" against Syria. And he's thanking allies France and Britain "for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!"
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8:30 a.m.
A U.N. Security Council diplomat says the council will meet later Saturday at Russia's request, following the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria.
Moscow has denounced the attack on its ally by the U.S., Britain and France. Russian President Vladimir Putin calls it an "act of aggression" that will only worsen the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
The Security Council held emergency meetings this past week on the suspected poison gas attack last weekend in the rebel-controlled Damascus suburb of Douma.
President Donald Trump and his British and French allies say the airstrikes were necessary to deter Syria's use of chemical weapons. Russia insists there's no evidence that chemical weapons were used.
A fact-finding team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is in Syria to investigate.
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