TEHRAN (Tasnim) - President Barack Obama authorized surveillance flights over Syria in order to gather intelligence on the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, a senior US administration official said.Tuesdays move could mark the first step towards US air strikes against targets inside Syria.
The official, who spoke to the AP news agency, was not authorized to discuss Obama's decision by name and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
The White House said Obama has not yet made a decision on whether to take military action inside Syria.
The US is already launching air strikes against ISIL targets in Iraq.
The group announced last week that it had murdered an American journalist in Syria and was threatening more US hostages.
The Syrian government on Monday warned that Syria must be involved in co-ordinating any air strikes against the ISIL group in Syria.
In a news conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid al- Muallem said his country was ready to work with the international community- including its rivals, the US and UK, - to battle against "terrorists".
"Syria is ready for co-operation and co-ordination at the regional and international level to fight terrorism and implement UN Security Council resolution 2170," Muallem said.
By Tasnim News Agency
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
