American forces are “ready” to launch strikes on Syria if President Barack Obama chooses to order an attack, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says.
“We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfil and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take,” Mr Hagel told the BBC.
The White House said the US would release intelligence on last week’s suspected attack in the next few days.
The UK Parliament is to be recalled on Thursday to discuss possible responses.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the world could not stand idly by after seeing appalling scenes of death and suffering caused by suspected chemical weapons attacks.
The crisis follows last Wednesday’s suspected chemical attack near the Syrian capital, Damascus, which reportedly killed more than 300 people.
French President Francois Hollande said France was “ready to punish” whoever was behind the attack, and had decided to increase military support for Syria’s main opposition.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says the US, UK and France will now have the larger task of building as wide a coalition as possible to support limited military action.
Meanwhile the Arab League said it held Syrian President Bashar al-Assad responsible for the attacks and called for UN action.
Syrian opposition sources have said they have been told to expect a Western intervention in the conflict imminently.
“There is no precise timing… but one can speak of an imminent international intervention against the regime. It’s a question of days and not weeks,” AFP news agency quoted Syrian National Coalition official Ahmad Ramadan as saying.
“There have been meetings between the Coalition, the [rebel] Free Syrian Army and allied countries during which possible targets have been discussed.”
Russia and China, allies of the Syrian government, have stepped up their warnings against military intervention, with Moscow saying any such action would have “catastrophic consequences” for the region.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has said he rejects “utterly and completely” claims that Syrian forces used chemical weapons, and his government has blamed rebel fighters.
On Monday, United Nations weapons inspectors were fired on while investigating one of the five alleged chemical weapons attack sites around Damascus.
BBC
AIDS Patient
August 28, 2013 at 6:38 am
So balefwaya oil bambala iyo balimubwafya ba Syria
Jackal
August 28, 2013 at 8:09 am
America the Big World Bully go ahead and start WW3 because China and Russia are watching. it time we all dead because the world is now full of sins
SUPPERCHIBUKU [KANTOBO]
August 28, 2013 at 8:41 am
nation against nation
icinshikululwa
August 28, 2013 at 9:44 am
You are also killerz (USA), we know your intrest. But the world is changing were you’ll never be the lords over overs.
icinshikululwa
August 28, 2013 at 9:47 am
I mean, you will never remen small godz on earth over other humanz 4ever.
ba wiso
August 28, 2013 at 10:33 am
KILLINGS YABA
swine
August 28, 2013 at 11:01 am
Just put that money into AIDS research imwe ba pompwe twafwa sana why ukutemwenkodo ifi?
America is interested in the oil, these peverts/hypocrites!
MAFUPA YOKOYOKO
August 28, 2013 at 11:02 am
US trying 2 do what they do best, intimidating smaller nations. Hop someday they can b brought to their knees. I guess russia n korea can do dat.
darrelhobson
August 28, 2013 at 4:21 pm
This war is illegal and criminal.