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| Allies dispute Russian and Syrian claims of shot down missiles | Allies dispute Russian and Syrian claims of shot down missiles |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US, UK and France have disputed claims made by Syria and Russia that a significant number of incoming missiles were intercepted and shot down and that the damage inflicted by their raid had been minimal. | The US, UK and France have disputed claims made by Syria and Russia that a significant number of incoming missiles were intercepted and shot down and that the damage inflicted by their raid had been minimal. |
| The Pentagon insisted that no missiles were intercepted by Syrian defences and that the raids were “precise and overwhelming” while claiming the Syrian air defences remained “largely ineffective”. | |
| The Syrian brigadier general Ali Mayhoub, who read the statement on Syrian television, said: “Our air defences effectively shot down most of them.” He acknowledged the scientific research centre on the outskirt of Damascus had been hit and that one of the intercepted missiles had injured three people in Homs, which had been a target of the RAF. | The Syrian brigadier general Ali Mayhoub, who read the statement on Syrian television, said: “Our air defences effectively shot down most of them.” He acknowledged the scientific research centre on the outskirt of Damascus had been hit and that one of the intercepted missiles had injured three people in Homs, which had been a target of the RAF. |
| Teams from the RAF and UK Ministry of Defence were examining satellite pictures and other material to determine the extent of the damage. Along with the US and France, they would also be attempting to establish the extent to which their missiles came under fire. | Teams from the RAF and UK Ministry of Defence were examining satellite pictures and other material to determine the extent of the damage. Along with the US and France, they would also be attempting to establish the extent to which their missiles came under fire. |
| The MoD is unlikely to make public any operational details about whether or not missiles came under fire from Syrian air defences or were shot down. But it insisted the raid had been successful. | The MoD is unlikely to make public any operational details about whether or not missiles came under fire from Syrian air defences or were shot down. But it insisted the raid had been successful. |
| The US, which fired the bulk of the missiles, said it had lost none of them. France fired 12. | The US, which fired the bulk of the missiles, said it had lost none of them. France fired 12. |
| There had been fears before the attack that planes, which were not used in the US strike against Syria last year using Tomahawk missiles, would be vulnerable to Russia’s advanced air defence system, the S-400, which it has deployed in Syria. | There had been fears before the attack that planes, which were not used in the US strike against Syria last year using Tomahawk missiles, would be vulnerable to Russia’s advanced air defence system, the S-400, which it has deployed in Syria. |
| Russia also threatened to upgrade the Syrian air defence systems to include the S-300 system, which Moscow says is also capable of bringing down Tomahawk missiles or planes. | Russia also threatened to upgrade the Syrian air defence systems to include the S-300 system, which Moscow says is also capable of bringing down Tomahawk missiles or planes. |
| The four RAF Tornados that took part in Saturday’s early morning raid did not enter Syrian space. They fired Storm Shadow missiles from the air close to the RAF base at Akrotiri where they are based, well away from any air defence systems. | The four RAF Tornados that took part in Saturday’s early morning raid did not enter Syrian space. They fired Storm Shadow missiles from the air close to the RAF base at Akrotiri where they are based, well away from any air defence systems. |
| The Storm Shadow, which has been used by the RAF only a few times, including in Libya, can be fired 300 miles from a target. | The Storm Shadow, which has been used by the RAF only a few times, including in Libya, can be fired 300 miles from a target. |
| The US, UK and France fired 103 missiles over a 70-minute period, compared with 59 launched by the US in an attack on Syria last year. | The US, UK and France fired 103 missiles over a 70-minute period, compared with 59 launched by the US in an attack on Syria last year. |
| The RAF hit a former missile base 15 miles west of Homs, where Syria is accused of keeping a stockpile of chemical weapons precursors. The other targets for the US and France were a scientific research centre on the outskirts of Damascus and a chemical equipment storage facility and command post. | The RAF hit a former missile base 15 miles west of Homs, where Syria is accused of keeping a stockpile of chemical weapons precursors. The other targets for the US and France were a scientific research centre on the outskirts of Damascus and a chemical equipment storage facility and command post. |
| The four Tornados have been in regular action in Syria and Iraq against Islamic State and will remain in Cyprus. The decision to fire the cruise missiles from planes was partly because the UK does not have a submarine in the area. | The four Tornados have been in regular action in Syria and Iraq against Islamic State and will remain in Cyprus. The decision to fire the cruise missiles from planes was partly because the UK does not have a submarine in the area. |
| The Russian defence ministry said “a significant number” of the missiles had been shot down by an air defence system installed during the Soviet era. The ministry insisted the new defence system had not been used. | The Russian defence ministry said “a significant number” of the missiles had been shot down by an air defence system installed during the Soviet era. The ministry insisted the new defence system had not been used. |
| Claims from Syria and Russia about the number of missiles shot down ranged from 13 to 79. | Claims from Syria and Russia about the number of missiles shot down ranged from 13 to 79. |
| Although there had been speculation before the raid that Russia might retaliate against targets such as the RAF Cyprus base, the assumption is that Moscow, having declared the impact of the raid as minimal, is unlikely to respond militarily. | Although there had been speculation before the raid that Russia might retaliate against targets such as the RAF Cyprus base, the assumption is that Moscow, having declared the impact of the raid as minimal, is unlikely to respond militarily. |
| It could retaliate at a later date in another part of the world or by a deniable attack, such as a cyber-offensive operation. | It could retaliate at a later date in another part of the world or by a deniable attack, such as a cyber-offensive operation. |
| Russia, as anxious as the UK to avoid escalation, did not respond to the raid with air defence systems around its own bases in Syria. The US said it did target any Russian-built air defence systems and had only hit air defence systems being operated by Syria. | Russia, as anxious as the UK to avoid escalation, did not respond to the raid with air defence systems around its own bases in Syria. The US said it did target any Russian-built air defence systems and had only hit air defence systems being operated by Syria. |
| Gen Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said: “We did have some initial surface-to-air missile activity from the Syrian regime. That’s the only retaliatory action we’re aware of at this time. We’ve completed the targets that were assigned to the United States central command. Those operations are complete.” | Gen Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said: “We did have some initial surface-to-air missile activity from the Syrian regime. That’s the only retaliatory action we’re aware of at this time. We’ve completed the targets that were assigned to the United States central command. Those operations are complete.” |
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