When U.S. warplanes struck extremist militants in Syria officials said they targeted members of Khoradan, allegedly a cell related to the al-Nusra Front, itself an offshoot of al-Qaeda.
But on Twitter, accounts expressing support for Jihadi fighters discussed al-Nusra and Khoradan as one entity — and their outrage that the strikes would in fact help the Assad regime.
Others called on the Nusra Front and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — who officially split at the start of this year — to unite to fight together.
A new hashtag expressed that the "blood of our brothers in al-Nusra Front" is the same as "our blood in the state," referring to the area of Iraq and Syria under ISIS control.
Exactly which extremists the U.S. bombed in Syria and what damage those attacks did remains unclear. But after three years of bombing by Assad’s forces, some joked that they weren’t even sure who was behind the latest assault.
Many criticized the five Arab countries — Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudia Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — that allied with the U.S. against a predominantly Arab and Muslim country.
"#The_Crusaders'_Planes_Bomb_The_Al-Nusra_Front Who opens their land and skies to them and permits them to destroy Muslims in Syria, then they are one of them [the crusaders]."
"#The_Crusaders'_Planes_Bomb_The_Al-Nusra_Front. The first time the planes of Arab (and shiite) countries participate in America's crusader campaign against Muslims."
There was also lots of chatter over who was killed. Some alleged that two senior al-Nusra Front leaders were killed, as well as some foreign fighters.
There was outrage at the number killed — with emphasis that this time the U.S. had killed many Syrian civilians.
"#The_Crusader_Planes_Bomb_Nusra_Front. Most of the terrorists that were killed in the American campaign were Syrian Children."
Others alleged that the U.S. was bombing Syria not because of extremist elements — but because of a so-called war against Islam.