At least nine civilians, including four children, were killed Friday by the missile attack that targeted a Syrian base and nearby villages in central Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

Five civilians, including three children, were killed by missiles that targeted the town of Shyrat where the targeted air base is located, said SANA, adding that another missile struck the nearby village of Hmairat, killing four civilians, including a child, and wounding seven others.

In the base itself, six military personnel were killed.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. launched missile attacks on the Shayrat Air Base in Homs province in central Syria, in retaliation to the alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town in the northwestern province of Idlib.

Nearly 60 Tomahawk missiles struck the airbase and nearly destroying it completely, killing six Syrian soldiers and destroying nine Syrian warplanes.

The U.S. administration said the attack on the airbase comes in retaliation to the strikes by the Syrian air force on the town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Activists accused the Syrian army of firing toxic gas on the town, killing 70 people, while the Syrian army said the strike targeted an arm depot containing toxic gas, blaming the rebels for storing such materials.

Source: Xinhua