Summary WH says US has a range of options available but decision will be consistent with national interest.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama was to meet with his national security advisers early on Saturday to discuss reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons this week in an attack on a Damascus suburb, a White House official said in a statement.
"As we have previously stated, the President has directed the intelligence community to gather facts and evidence so that we can determine what occurred in Syria.
Once we ascertain the facts, the President will make an informed decision about how to respond," the official said.
"We have a range of options available, and we are going to act very deliberately so that we re making decisions consistent with our national interest as well as our assessment of what can advance our objectives in Syria," the White House official said.
The meeting comes amid reports that Syria s government has again used deadly chemical weapons.
Top national security officials met earlier this week at the White House while Obama was on a bus tour through New York and Pennsylvania.
The White House says the U.S. is still seeking confirmation that Syria used chemical weapons. Officials say once the facts are clear, Obama will make a decision about how to respond.
The US is considering a range of options, though Obama has ruled out putting American forces on the ground in Syria.
