U.S. officials say American military not behind reported missile strike in Syria

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
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An airstrike in Douma, Syria.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Syrian state media is reporting that eight missiles were shot down by Syrian air defenses near a government base in the city of Homs early Monday, but U.S. officials are refuting rumors that the U.S. military launched strikes against the airfield.

Several activist groups say the Syrian government was behind a chemical attack Saturday that killed at least 70 people and injured 1,000 in the rebel-held town of Douma. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied the allegations, but President Trump tweeted Sunday that Assad is an "animal," and there's a "big price to pay" for the assault. He added that the area needs to be opened "immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.