Middle East/North Africa

Israeli officials confirmed Saturday that an airstrike against Syria was not aimed the Assad regime's chemical weapons stockpiles.

The president's comments during a news conference in Costa Rica came amid reports that Israel had bombed targets inside Syria.

"We want to make sure we look before we leap," President Obama qualified at a press conference in Mexico City.

“You look and rethink all options. It doesn’t mean you do, or you will,” the Defense secretary said.

The photos of the men are grainy and appear to have come from security camera footage.

"We are continuing to review our options," said Carney, amid reports Obama is moving to arm opposition forces in Syria.

The Pentagon remains "fully cognizant" of the threat posed by Islamic extremist groups inside Syria, despite recent overtures by the White House to arm the country's rebel forces. 

Eyewitnesses to the terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Libya will testify in the House next week.

The administration on Wednesday strongly denied reports Saudi officials had flagged Tamerlan Tsarnaev as a terror threat.

Obama declined to lay out specific consequences if chemical weapons are used, but said it would be a “game changer.”