Pentagon officials are reportedly in talks with the Israeli Defense Ministry today attempting to convince them not to launch a unilateral attack on Syria. The Israeli officials are reportedly considering a move to destroy Syrian chemical weapons stockpiles.

Syria has significant chemical and biological weapons stockpiles, and while the government has denied that they are in any danger, foreign powers have expressed concern that al-Qaeda or another militant group allied with the rebels might capture them at some point.

The Obama Administration is apparently afraid that the Israeli attack would dramatically shift public opinion on Assad both domestically and internationally, and would enable him to rally support as a foil to Israeli aggression.

Earlier this week Israel’s top military intelligence official termed the risk of a war with Syria as low, noting that the Syrian regime had been moving troops out of the border region to fight their ongoing civil war against Western-backed rebels. Israel, for its part, has insisted that their troops along the Syrian border will remain at the ready to prevent any refugees from fleeing the war-torn nation.