US told intl coalition before its strike: Turkish FM

ANTALYA, TURKEY - APRIL 7: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that the U.S. had informed the international anti-Daesh coalition before its attack on a Syrian airbase. "There is nothing wrong on this issue," Cavusoglu told reporters in the Mediterranean province of Antalya. He added that U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John R. Bass had also contacted his ministry's undersecretary. Saying that Turkey supported the U.S. missile attacks on the Syrian airbase, he added: "We consider the U.S. intervention appropriate and support it." Cavusoglu also said the Bashar al-Assad regime must be removed from power and the best way to do this is to establish a transitional government. Pointing to the importance of safe zones in Syria, an idea Turkey has long championed, Cavusoglu said that the establishment of such zones is now more necessary than ever. The U.S. fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat Airbase American officials believe was used to carry out a deadly chemical attack Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed. The missiles were fired from two U.S. destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and hit the air base at approximately 3:45 a.m. Syrian local time Friday (0045GMT). Aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, air defense systems, and radars were targeted, the Pentagon said.