(Times of Israel) The Obama administration has concluded that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons against the opposition seeking to overthrow him, US officials said Thursday, crossing what President Barack Obama has called a ‘red line’ that would trigger greater American involvement in the crisis.
The officials said earlier intelligence assessments that indicated Assad likely used such weapons had now been corroborated. However, the officials said the administration has not determined how it will respond. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly ahead of an expected White House announcement of the finding.
Obama has said that the use of chemical weapons would cross a “red line” and constitute a “game changer” for US policy on Syria, which until now has focused entirely on providing the opposition with nonlethal assistance and humanitarian aid.
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