TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Standing next to a missile crater and holding the shrapnel of the American missiles, villager Assad al-Khodr recounted how rockets landed 40 meters from his house during the Shayrat Airbase's shelling,
The attack caused casualties among the civilians in Shayrat and nearby villages and damaged homes, he told French news agency AFP on Saturday.
"This shameless aggression, which was conducted by the Americans, which their terrorists - which are supported by them - were not able to do it for them in the area, caused the panic of children and civilians and massive damage in this village and the other surrounding villages, broken glass and shop facades," another resident said.
The resident, however, was pleased that the airfield which is a frontline combat center in Syria's battle against foreign-backed militants had resumed operation.
"This is a huge challenge to America and their allies and we gave martyrs and will keep giving martyrs. We will never hesitate in giving more martyrs for our country,” he pointed out.
US warships in the eastern Mediterranean launched a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles against Shayrat Airfield in Syria’s Homs Province on Friday. Six Syrian soldiers and nine civilians were reported to have been killed in the assault.
The Russian Defense Ministry assessed the efficiency of the US strike as "quite poor” and said only 23 out of 59 Tomahawk missiles had reached their target while the points of impact of the remaining 36 missiles were unknown.
US President Donald Trump said he had ordered the strike and alleged that the airbase was the origin of Tuesday's suspected chemical attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria’s Idlib Province.
Washington has failed to provide any proof that the Syrian government was behind the purported gas attack, with Damascus categorically denying the US accusation.
The US attack came in the wake of the Syrian army advances against foreign-backed militants on different fronts and ahead of fresh push for peace talks, while President Bashar al-Assad is widely seen as holding the balance of power in the talks, as well as on the battlefield.
(Source: Press TV)