Video: Trump orders strikes against Syria

♦ German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support for the US-led military operation in Syria, marking a clear change from her earlier ambiguous tone.

Merkel called the joint strike as "necessary and appropriate," saying it will "preserve the effectiveness of the international ban on the use of chemical weapons."

In the recent past, Merkel had reiterated that Germany would not participate should Washington decide to take military action against Syria for Damascus' alleged use of chemical weapons.

♦ NATO has expressed support for the US-led strike against Syria, calling it essential to enforce the Chemical Weapons Convention.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the international community should have a collective and effective response to the recent use of chemical weapons in Syria.

"I support the actions ... This will reduce the regime's ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons," he said, adding that NATO considered the use of chemical weapons as a threat to international peace and security.

"The use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable," he said in a statement.

♦ Turkey welcomed the airstrikes launched by the US, Britain and France on Syria as an "appropriate reaction" to an alleged chemical attack.

"We welcome this operation that articulates the conscience of humanity to a chemical attack in Douma, which has a strong suspicion of being carried out by the Assad regime," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The use of mass destruction weapons, including chemical weapons, is a crime against humanity, the statement said.

♦ An official from the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry highlighted that the operations were a response to the use of banned chemical weapons by the Syrian regime against innocent civilians and its years of "horrible crimes."

The official held the Syrian government responsible for such military attack and the international community for not taking serious steps against the regime.

♦ Portugal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, saying it understood the reasons for the airstrikes on Syria, but urged all parties to seek a peaceful solution.

"Portugal understands the reasons for and the timing of this military intervention. The Syrian regime must fully fulfill its responsibilities. Resorting to means and forms of war deemed intolerable by humanity is unacceptable."

Reuters - China Daily - Xinhua