Reports: Syria repositions air assets ahead of possible US strikes

As President Donald Trump ramped up his threats of military action against Syria this week, the Syrian military has been repositioning some air assets to avoid the fallout from possible missile strikes, US officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

The officials declined further comment and it was not clear whether the Syrian moves would impact US military planning for potential action against Syria over a suspected poison gas attack.

But the Syrian moves could limit the damage the United States and its allies might be able to inflict on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military.

A similar assessment was delivered earlier on Wednesday by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, which said that pro-Syrian government forces were emptying main airports and military air bases.

For days, Trump has been warning Syria and its backers, Russia and Iran, over the suspected gas attack. On Wednesday, he offered the clearest sign yet of his willingness to attack Syria, declaring that missiles “will be coming” and criticizing Moscow for standing by Assad.

Read: Trump tells Russia to ‘get ready’ for strike on Syria