U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he has ordered precise strikes in cooperation with Britain and France against Syrian military facilities.

In a televised speech, Trump said he ordered the U.S. armed forces to launch attacks against targets related to Syria's chemical weapons capabilities.

He added that a combined operation with Britain and France was under way.

Trump also criticized Russia and Iran for supporting the Syrian government as well as their failure to stop the alleged chemical attack.

The speech came all of a sudden, as White House correspondents said they were asked not to share that information until the president went live "in order to ensure the safety of our troops."