the rationale for the targets that they re specifically tied to the chemical weapons program. a research facility near dpakz, the capitol, involving the chemical weapons program and a storage site near homs and a commander center near homs. all secretary mattis saying affiliatewood the syrian regime chemical weapons program. the strikes designed to both help degrade that program as well as deter the regime from using chemical weapons in the future. now, there is we re told that u.s. b-1 bombers were involved in the strikes, firing air launched cruise missiles. one u.s. navy ship in the red sea participated. the french said the jets participated in the strikes and british said some tornado jets launched missiles against targets in syria as well. a multilateral operation. and unlike last year in april of 2017, secretary mattis saying double the number of weapons were used.
transparency and accuracy, my assistant for public affairs and the director of the joint staff here in washington will provide a brief of known details tomorrow morning, we anticipate about 9:00 in this same location. but thank you again for coming in this evening, ladies and gentlemen. all right. let s go now to john roberts, who s monitoring the situation at the white house. good evening to you. and the president continues to monitor the situation, as the bombs continue to fall and the missiles continue to strike. and tonight the white house releasing a call for action on syria, calling on syria and syria s patrons to declare all aspects of syria s chemical weapons program, destroy the remaining chemical weapons
something that is such an atrocity as this as we ve observed goings on in syria. but i will also tell you these allies, the americans, french, the british, we have operated together through thick and thin, good times and bad. and this is a very, very well-integrated team. wherever we operate, we do so with complete trust in each other and the belief that one another will be there when the chips are down. so it s important and it s a statement about the level of trust between our nations. let us know whether the syrians were able to hide a lot of these chemical weapons in the last several days because there was so much talk? did that give them time to move weapons? and you were saying you had information about one of the chemicals.
syrian regime. we have gone to great lengths to avoid civilian and foreign casualties. it is a time for all civilized nations to urgently unite in ending the syrian civil war. in accordance at the chemical weapons prevention prohibiting the use of such weapons, we urge responsible nations to condemn the assad regime and join us in our firm resolve in chemical weapons from being used again. he will provide a military update. thank you. i am joined by devon parker. i ll address this strike from the military dimension.
to the regime that their actions were inexcusable, but inflicted massive damage without risk to innocent civilians. and with that, we would be happy to take your questions. mr. secretary, first of all, did the u.s. suffer any losses initially? and more broadly, the president in his remarks said the u.s. and its allies are prepared to sustained this operation until the syrians stop using chemical weapons. does this u.s. and its partners will continue military operations beyond this initial operation tonight? that will depend on mr. assad, should he decide to use more chemical weapons in the future. and of course, the powers that have signed the chemical weapons prohibition have every reason to challenge assad, if should he choose to violate that. but right now, this is a