UN to inspect gas attack site but US says it is too late

A US military response to alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria appeared more likely yesterday after Washington dismissed the Syrian government’s offer to allow UN inspection of the sites as “too late to be credible”.

A senior official of the US administration said there was little doubt the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against civilians in suburbs of Damascus last week and that President Barack Obama was weighing how to respond.

A year ago, Obama said the use of chemical weapons in Syria’s war would be a “red line” for the United States. However, Obama has been reluctant to intervene in Syria and officials stressed he has yet to make a decision on how to respond.