President Barack Obama says the US should take military action against Syria and he will seek congressional authorisation for intervention.
The US says the Syrian government carried out chemical weapons attacks on 21 August in which 1,429 people died.
Mr Obama said the operation would be limited in duration and strong to deter future chemical attacks. Congress is due to reconvene on 9 September.
The Syrian government denies it was behind the attacks and blames rebels.
UN inspectors who have been investigating the attacks arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday with samples from site visits, which will be tested in laboratories in Europe.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which is overseeing the investigation, said the whole testing process could take up to three weeks, although "every effort" would be made to expedite it.
Senior White House officials told the BBC's Katty Kay that Mr Obama's decision to seek congressional approval was made by the president on Friday afternoon. It had not been planned until then.
The officials added that they believed they would get congressional approval, although they were aware of the risks, our correspondent adds.
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