Washington/Paris/London — President Donald Trump on Saturday praised the pre-dawn strikes against Syria’s regime carried out jointly by the US, Britain and France, saying they “could not have had a better result.” Western officials said a barrage of cruise and air-to-land missiles hit what they said were sites linked to chemical weapons development, in retaliation after a suspected toxic gas attack a week ago on the rebel-held town of Douma, in the Damascus suburbs. “A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine military,” Trump tweeted. “Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” In Brussels, the European Union called for Russia and Iran to help stop more chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian government, warning of fresh economic sanctions. “The EU calls upon all countries, notably Russia and Iran, to use their influence to prevent any further use of chemical weapons, notably by the Syrian regime,” the EU said in a statement. France said it would not hesitate to strike Syrian government targets again if the chemical red line was crossed, but that no new strikes were planned at this stage, adding that it would renew a push for peace through dialogue with Russia. President Emmanuel Macron ordered the military intervention in Syria alongside the United States and Britain in response to a poison gas attack that killed dozens of people last week. “Our objectives were met,” Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV. If the red line banning the use of chemical weapons was crossed again, there would be another intervention, he said, while adding: “I think the lesson will have been learnt.” Experts from the world’s global chemical arms watchdog are continuing their mission to probe the gas attack, the body said Saturday. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has been “working in close collaboration” with UN security experts “to assess the situation and ensure the safety of the team,” it said. The Pentagon said the joint US-British-French operation against Syria’s regime had “successfully hit every target,” countering assertions from Russia that dozens of missiles were intercepted. “We do not seek conflict in Syria, but we cannot allow such grievous violations of international law,” Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters. “We successfully hit every target,” she said. “The strikes were justified, legitimate and proportionate.” — Agencies