US will not rule out airstrikes against Assad’s regime in Syria, says Defence Secretary James Mattis

The US has not ruled out launching airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Defence Secretary James Mattis has said, in response to a suspected chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma.

“I don’t rule out anything right now,” Mr Mattis said while hosting Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, at the Pentagon.

Dozens of civilians are believed to have died in the suspected poison gas attack, with Theresa May, the UK prime minister, saying that Syria’s president, and their Russian backers, must be “held to account” for the “barbaric” action if they are found to be responsible.

The Syrian government has repeatedly blamed rebel groups for spreading false news in relation to such attacks, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said allegations of a chemical attack were false and a provocation. Mr Lavrov said a strike on a Syrian base in the wake of the suspected attack was a dangerous development. Syria and Russia have blamed Israel for the attack on the air base.

Mr Mattis also hit out at Russia over a 2013 deal to remove chemical weapons from Syria. Western allies have looked to increase pressure on the Kremlin for its relationship with Mr Assad, as calls increase for co-ordinated international action over the alleged chemical attack.

“The first thing we have to look at is why are chemical weapons still being used at all when Russia was the framework guarantor of removing all chemical weapons, and so working with our allies and partners from Nato to Qatar and elsewhere we are going to address this issue,” Mr Mattis continued.

The international chemical weapons watchdog opened an investigation on Monday into the attack. Chemicals have been used in other attacks suspected to have been carried out by the Syrian government.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) chief, Ahmet Uzumcu, said it was responding with “grave concern” to the suspected chemical weapons attack on Saturday in the town of Douma, in the Ghouta region.

Witnesses and medical workers reported as many as 60 deaths, with nearly a thousand injured after at least two bombs hit a hospital and nearby buildings. Around 500 people received treatment for breathing problems.

Donald Trump warned Syria and its two closest allies, Russia and Iran, that they had a “big price to pay” in the wake of the attack over the weekend.

“Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world,” Mr Trump said on Twitter. “President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad.”

He continued: “Big price....to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!”

Members of Congress have been calling on the Trump administration to take action.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham slammed Mr Assad as “a legitimate war criminal”.

“I think now he is a legitimate war criminal in the eyes of the international community,” Mr Graham said on Fox News’ Fox & Friends. “And that Assad and his inner circle should be considered war criminals, legitimate military targets. If you have the opportunity to take him out, you should.”

Kenneth Roth, executive director of the Human Rights Watch campaign group, told Reuters that the suspected attack bore all the hallmarks of the Assad regime. He added that countries should consider putting pressure on President Vladimir Putin ahead of Russia hosting the World Cup in June, as Assad was already “a man who has no reputation left”.

Agencies contributed to this report