Obama opts to expand Syria operation with allied air strikes

US military sources report that President Barack Obama has decided to expand the US operation against Syria’s chemical weapons. Instead of confining the action to Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from warships, he is now turning to the introduction of air strikes by US, French, Turkish and Saudi bombers. DEBKAfile: This indicates that the US targeting inventory will include Syrian chemical weapons stockpiles and air bases, a development that will almost certainly bring about Syrian and Hizballah reprisals against US interests in the region as well as Israel.