Could World War 3 really happen? How chemical warfare and nuclear weapons could lead to the Apocalypse
Trump ordered two US Navy warships to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles which rained down on an air base near Homs.
Evidence suggests that it was from here that regime planes carrying the murderous gas bombs took off, according to the President.
The UK called the deadly riposte — which completely destroyed the base and killed personnel — an “appropriate” response to Assad’s barbaric slaughter of around 100 people, including children.
But in a sign of how fraught with risk the move was, the Pentagon revealed that it had given prior warning to pro-Assad Russian counterparts before the missile strike.
There were fears that such an action, consistently avoided under the Obama administration despite his talk of a “red line” being crossed, may pave the way to conflict between old foes America and Russia.
Whether it was simply a symbolic response to deter the use of chemical weapons, or the beginning of a more protracted effort to remove Assad at the risk of riling Moscow, remains to be seen.
But if a third global conflict does break out, how will it start, what will it look like, and who’s going to win?