This Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016 photo shows an Israeli Air Force F-15 plane in flight during a graduation ceremony for new pilots in the Hatzerim air force base near the city of Beersheba, Israel. Anti-aircraft missiles were launched from Syria into Israeli-controlled territory early on Friday, following a series of Israeli airstrikes inside Syria, the Israeli military said. The military said its warplanes struck several targets in Syria and were back in Israeli-controlled airspace when several anti-aircraft missiles were launched from Syria toward the Israeli jets. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Here are the main items. (Updates inline below)

Earlier this week SecDef James Mattis cancelled plans to be in California this weekend. President Trump cancelled his plans to attend the South America summit and sent Mike Pence in his place.

Yesterday, SecDef Mattis and CENTCOM Commander, James Votel, cancelled appearances in New York City.

There was a last ditch effort by the Russians to stop this at the Security Council today with their ludicrous “false flag” allegation against the Brits.

Trump’s Twitter head fake of two days ago got the Russians to evacuate their aircraft from Syria and all of their ships sortied from their leased naval base in Tartus.

Let’s pick up the story now.

I’m told the White HOuse press pool has been told to gather.

Press pool in Lima with Vice President Pence is rushing back to the hotel unexpectedly. White House is telling the press pool that’s here in Washington to gather.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 14, 2018

20:19 at the White House. We still have no lid and the President is not in the West Wing. The expectation is that military strikes against Syria are imminent. pic.twitter.com/dNfX7OIGqf

— Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) April 14, 2018

DEVELOPING: Pres. Trump to make statement on Syria in 30 minutes

— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) April 14, 2018

BREAKING — @realDonaldTrump will make a statement about Syria tonight at 9pm from the Diplomatic Room at the White House. https://t.co/hzkMCfpWqd

— Michael D. Shear (@shearm) April 14, 2018

UPDATES TO FOLLOW

President Trump will address the nation tonight on #Syria—@JenGriffinFNC reports from senior admin official US has taken decision to strike Syria: #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/bLfj7Frbld

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) April 14, 2018

And we’re on–

#BREAKING Trump announces he ordered airstrikes on Syria. Says the operation “is now underway.”

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 14, 2018

Here's Trump announcing that strikes have begun in Syria pic.twitter.com/NLwwnLnBrv

— Jim Dalrymple II (@Dalrymple) April 14, 2018

BREAKING: an attack on Syrian targets, by US military forces, is now underway, President Trump has announced. Britain & France have joined the U.S. in the attack. Trump says the targets are sites used for the chemical attack in Syria that the U.S. blames on Syria President Assad

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) April 14, 2018

BREAKING FOOTAGE: SYRIAN AIR-DEFENSES ARE DEFENDING THE SKY OF DAMASCUS pic.twitter.com/1O1F8LQPz7

— Majd Fahd 🇸🇾 (@Syria_Protector) April 14, 2018

BREAKING: Air defense systems being activated over Damascus now as U.S. starts striking targets in Syria. pic.twitter.com/BEMBPjL54s

— Israel Breaking (@IsraelBreaking) April 14, 2018

If you aren’t familiar with the Pentagon Parking Lot Index, you should be. It correctly predicted no attack two days ago, and an attack today:

Rest easy, world. The Pentagon Press Parking Index (PPPI) indicates that strikes against Syria tonight are unlikely pic.twitter.com/EMBUeqyBNg

— HansNichols (@HansNichols) April 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/OneSummerMornin/status/984908525326426112

The #PPPI is still full. And yet there has been no news. Whatsoever. Not a good sign.

— Jack ‎🇬🇧🔯 (@Conservative_JA) April 13, 2018

U.S. Defense officials tell @barbarastarrcnn & @rabrowne75 both ships and aircraft were used in the Syria strikes

— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) April 14, 2018

BIG – Strikes now reported on #Assad’s strategic Mezzeh airbase, a major facility in the regime’s nationwide military operations sitting SW, just outside central #Damascus.

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) April 14, 2018

NEW: "As he was speaking, we were hearing rumbling in the distance, the sound of what appeared– what sounded like air strikes," @sethdoane reports from Damascus, Syria https://t.co/bTaJ40jGwj pic.twitter.com/4MxjoRR9Jk

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 14, 2018

Local Sources :: #Damascus airport is completely destroyed and the fires could be seen from everywhere

— Abdalaziz Alhamza (@3z0ooz) April 14, 2018

the #US airstrikes attacked the military defense labs in #Aleppo .

— Abdalaziz Alhamza (@3z0ooz) April 14, 2018

Unconfirmed strikes reportedly being spotted against targets in #Qasyun Mountain (Home of Presidential Palace and other military units), as well as #DummarProjects #Damascus.
Unconfirmed strikes as of yet reported in #Misyaf, near #Latakia (suspected CW Production Lab)

— Riam Dalati (@Dalatrm) April 14, 2018

Already clear the U.S./coalition action has not held back – much of the #Assad regime’s most significant military bases in the southern half of #Syria have been hit, already.

Plus multiple SSRC research facilities (CW & missile-linked).

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) April 14, 2018

https://twitter.com/JacobAWohl/status/984969826798993408

https://twitter.com/JacobAWohl/status/984973177628475397