Most of the missiles fired in Syria by the UK, US, and France as part of punitive action against Bashar al-Assad government in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks were intercepted by Syrian air defense systems, RT, Russia international television network, quoted Russian Defense Ministry as saying, a media report said.

The RT said Russian air defense units were not involved in repelling the attack.

The Russian Defence Ministry said Syria’s Al-Dumayr Military Airport, located 40 km north-east from Damascus, was attacked by 12 cruise missiles, adding that all missiles were intercepted by Syrian air defense systems.

Syria deployed Soviet-made surface-to-air missile systems, including S-125 (NATO reporting name: SA-3 Goa), S-200 (SA-5 Gammon), 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful) and Buk, it said.

Earlier, the United States, Britain and France carried out a wave of punitive strikes against Bashar al-Assad´s Syrian regime in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks that President Donald Trump branded the “crimes of a monster.”

As Trump embarked on a White House address to announce the action — taken in defiance of Russia´s threat to respond — explosions were heard in the Syrian capital Damascus, signalling a new chapter in a brutal seven-year-old civil war.