On May 2, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that the United States was rethinking whether to arm Syrian rebels, the New York Times reported that the United States may be considering airstrikes on Syria and Israeli jets bombed targets in Syria on May 2 and May 5.
It was less than three weeks ago [April 17], when Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that US President Barack Obama had not asked for military options in Syria, with Dempsey adding that he had rethought his recommendation last year to arm the Syrian rebels because he was no longer sure he “could clearly identify the right people” within the opposition to supply arms.