Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled to a Russian refuge, according to a report in the Baghdad Post.
He claims that Assad left the capital of Damascus with a Russian military escort and that he is in a shelter at the Russian-controlled Khmeimim air base on the west coast of Syria, which has no windows or curtains.
No final decision has been made by the White House since the US President met with his advisers on the situation in Syria.
"We continue to evaluate intelligence and talk to partners and allies" , announces, while Britain gave the green light to the proposal of the British Prime Minister Theresa May for possible military action in Syria together with the USA and France.
"The ministry agreed on the need for action to alleviate the humanitarian discomfort caused by the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. "The Council of Ministers has agreed with the Prime Minister that we must continue to work with our allies in the United States and France to coordinate an international response."
Trump and May said it by phone on Thursday night and agreed that it is "vital that the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in Syria does not go unanswered." They also agreed that there is a need to prevent the further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian President's forces and that they will continue to work closely together.
According to foreign media reports, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis is unsure whether chemical weapons were actually used by the Assad regime and is asking for more evidence. He also expressed concern about a wider escalation following a strike in Syria, saying there could be a backlash from Russia.
At the same time, a public meeting of the Security Council will be held in Russia on Friday, in the presence of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, to discuss Syria.
Italy says it will not play a direct role in a final Western military offensive against Syrian government forces, but will provide logistical support to its allies.
France and Germany are worried about the April 7 incident, with Merkel and Macron expressing regret over their phone call to the UN Security Council, whose decisions are not being respected.