Dozens of U.S. officials have called on Barack Obama's administration to order "targeted military strikes" against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, with the aim of pressuring Damascus to accept a binding cease-fire and engage in peace talks, Fox News reported.
The Wall Street Journal reported that 51 State Department officials advising Syria policy signed the so-called "dissent channel cable".
State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed the cable's existence Thursday, but said he would not comment further until officials have reviewed its contents.
