A warning was issued to the Syrian government by the US President Donald Trump. It said that the US is “locked and loaded” to strike again if it carries out chemical attacks.

The warning was issued after the US, UK and France struck three Syrian sites yesterday (April 14). The strike was in response to a suspected deadly chemical attack in the town of Douma a week ago.

Syria denies all accusations of chemical weapons use and says the attack was fabricated by rebels. A UN Security Council vote brought by Syria’s ally, Russia, to condemn the US-led strikes was rejected.

The wave of strikes represents the most significant attack against President Bashar al-Assad’s government by Western powers in seven years of Syria’s civil war.

While Western powers have supported rebels from early on in the war, they have not intervened against Syria directly.