European Council president Donald Tusk said the European Union would stand with its allies “on the side of justice”. He added: “Strikes by US, France and UK make it clear the Syrian regime, together with Russia and Iran, cannot continue this human tragedy, at least not without cost.” Backing the strikes Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it would “reduce the regime’s ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons”.

He added: “Nato has consistently condemned Syria’s continued use of chemical weapons as a clear breach of international norms and agreements. Their use is unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable.”

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the strikes sent a message to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. He said: “With the joint operation by the US, UK and France, the Syrian regime received the message that its massacres wouldn’t be left unanswered. The innocent Syrian people should have been defended long ago.” 

Israel said the attack sent an important signal to the “axis of evil” of Iran, Syria and the militant group Hezbollah. Yoav Gallant, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, said: “The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line that humanity can no longer tolerate.”