The U.S. believes Syria has used chemical weapons: Now what?

The Obama administration has proclaimed chemical weapons a "red line"

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel responds to questions about Syria's chemical weapons on April 25.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Jim Watson)

In March, the bloodiest month of Syria's two-year civil war, rebels accused Syrian president Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons — a "red line" that the Obama administration previously said would provoke a U.S. response. Now the White House has announced that it has evidence that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons at least twice during the course of the war. So what happens now? Here, a guide to the latest developments in the conflict:

What is the evidence?

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.