US action against Syria would be narrow in scope: reports

 US President Barack Obama is weighing an attack against Syria that would be of limited scope and duration, newspapers reported Tuesday.

The strike in retaliation for what the United States says is Syria's undeniable use of chemical weapons against civilians would probably last no more than two days and seek to keep America out of wider involvement in the country's 29-month civil war, the Washington Post reported, quoting unnamed senior administration officials.

The New York Times also reported that while Obama has yet to make a decision on military action, he would likely order a limited military operation.

This could involve cruise missiles launched from US vessels in the Mediterranean at Syrian military targets, the paper quoted administration officials as saying.

It would not be a prolonged campaign aimed at topping President Bashar al-Assad or changing the balance of the war, the Times added.

Over the next few days US intelligence officials will reveal information to buttress their case that Syria used chemical weapons, it said.

The Americans are consulting with their allies but hold out little hope of obtaining a green light from the United Nations because of opposition from Russia, Syria's main ally which has provided diplomatic cover to the Damascus regime since the start of the conflict by blocking resolutions at the UN Security Council, the officials were quoted as saying.