US President Donald Trump said he had not made a decision on the US response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, but said it “will be met forcefully.”

Speaking ahead of his Monday evening meeting on Syria with military advisers, Trump stated that some type of decision about the US response would be made tonight or “shortly” afterward.

“We’re making a decision as to what we do with respect to the horrible attack that was made near Damascus,” he said. The decision would be made “tonight or very shortly thereafter.”

The president also noted that the US had a number of military options to consider regarding Syria, and that “the power” of the US could be used to prevent any more such attacks.

On Monday, the UN Security Council met to discuss the alleged attack.

Framing the discussion, UN Special Envoy to Syria noted that the body has been “unable to independently verify” the incident.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya suggested that inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) could be escorted by Russian and Syrian forces to the area under contention within 24 hours.

For his part, Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari voiced Damascus’ readiness to provide unlimited assistance to the OPCW.

Source: Agencies