2nd LD: Missiles attack airbase in central Syria, cause casualties: state TV

DAMASCUS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The T-4 airbase in the Syrian central province of Homs was hit by a missile attack before daybreak Monday, leaving several people dead and wounded, the Syrian state TV reported.

The attack came amid an international wrangling about the allegations of the chemical weapons' use by the Syrian army in the war on the rebels in the Douma district in the capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta countryside.

Several loud explosions were heard in the early hours on Monday near the airfield in the eastern countryside of Homs. It was later confirmed to be a missile attack targeting the military facility.

The report later said the strike has caused casualties, but did not give exact numbers.

The Syrian air defense system acted against the attack, destroying eight missiles before they reached their target, while others have hit the base, it said.

It was not immediately confirmed who was behind the attack, but state-run media outlets said the attack could have been carried out by the United States.

U.S. Pentagon spokesman Christopher Sherwood denied the report in a statement, saying the U.S. Department of Defense "is not conducting air strikes in Syria at this time."

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday promised a "big price" would be paid for what he said was a chemical weapons attack on Douma on Saturday.

Thomas Bossert, Trump's homeland security adviser, said the president's national security team had been in talks with Trump late Saturday and early Sunday about how to respond to the alleged chemical attack in Douma. Enditem