Pictured: Donald Trump thanks US Navy commanders for Syrian airstrike

Pictures capture the moment Donald Trump personally thanked US Navy commanders following the US's airstrike in Syria.

The President telephoned two commanders and congratulated them three days after the launch - a retaliatory move against President Bashar al-Assad.

Dozens of people were killed in Idlib in northwest Syria last week after the government purportedly dropped chemical weapons, prompting the US to launch Tomahawk missiles against one of the Arab nation's airbases.

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer posted a picture of President Trump thanking Commanders Russell Caldwell and Andria Slough from aboard Air Force One.

In return, the navy posted their own images of the commanders receiving the calls.

Commanders Caldwell and Slough were aboard USS Ross and USS Porter, which fired the Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles last Friday.

The 59 missiles targeted Shayrat airfield in western Syria from where the destroyers were based in the eastern Mediterranean.

A picture of President Trump thanking the pair was posted by Press Secretary Spicer with the message: "This afternoon on AF1 @potus called Cmdr Andria Slough, @USNavy CO of USS Porter to offers congrats & thanks for #SyriaStrikes".

The navy responded in turn, tweeting pictures of the two commanders taking the calls.

In a statement, the navy said: "The president called to thank the commanding officers, Cmdr. Russell Caldwell and Cmdr. Andria Slough, and their crews for their professionalism and quick response to the tasking to conduct a cruise missile strike against Shayrat airfield in western Syria April 7."

President Trump's airstrikes, which mark a significant shift in policy towards Syria, were met with mixed reaction.

The UK, Australia, Turkey and Nato all backed the move, while Russia and Iran were among the critics.

President Assad denies responsibility for the chemical weapon attack.