WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) — The United States is considering a military strike in Syria after Israel bombed a target in the war-torn country over fears of chemical weapons, officials said.
Officials in Washington, Lebanon and Israel told reporters Saturday the Israeli strike in Syria this week targeted a shipment of missiles bound for the Lebanese political and military organization Hezbollah in Lebanon, The Washington Post reported.
Senior officials from several countries have said U.S. options include attacking Syria’s anti-aircraft systems, military aircraft and some of its missile fleet, The New York Times reported. U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Thursday discussed arming rebel groups.
President Barack Obama has so far been reluctant to get involved in the Syrian conflict. Any strike on Syria would involve allies and neighboring countries, Obama has said.
An attack on Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons has all but been ruled out as an option, officials said.
“You could cause exactly the disaster you are trying to prevent,” an Israeli official said.
“There are a lot of options on the table, and they’re generally carrying equal weight at the moment,” a senior administration official said Friday.
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