Syrian military bases are emptying after Trump gave warning after warning of a US airstrike

DigitalGlobe/Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense/Handout via REUTERS

Shayrat Airfield in Homs, which was targeted in a US strike last year.

• Forces loyal to the Assad government are abandoning facilities which could be targeted in a US strike.
• It comes after days of military posturing and threats by Donald Trump.
• Trump has previously criticised the practice giving advance warning of attacks, because it lets everyone get out of the way.
• His recent statements have done just that - but it could be for good reason.

Syrian forces and their allies are withdrawing from military bases likely to be targeted in a potential US airstrike.

Pro-Assad militants, and some Syrian government forces, are moving people and equipment out of the way ahead of an impending attack by the United States.

The movements were reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights NGO, and also by The New York Times.

Satellite imagery also showed ten Russian warships and a submarine leaving a port in western Syria.

The clear-out came after President Donald Trump warned his foes to "get ready" for a US missile strike, apparently contradicting his former opinion that telegraphing military action is a big mistake.

On Sunday, the US president warned of a "big price" to pay and agreed with France's Emmanuel Macron to coordinate a "strong, joint response" to Assad over the attacks.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Trump warned Russia that US missiles "will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'"

There are potential advantages to telegraphing your actions - the main one being that it helps avoid accidental escalation in a busy conflict zone where Russia is also active.

On Thursday Trump also reintroduced some ambiguity, saying that the attack "could be very soon or not so soon at all!"