The United States says it has identified potential preparations for a chemical attack by Syrian government forces similar to an April attack in northern Syria that prompted US air-strikes in response. <br/><br/>In a statement issued yesterday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of a heavy price if another strike occurred. It said another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime is likely to result in the mass murder of civilians.<br/><br/>President Trump ordered the strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria in April in reaction to what Washington said was a poison gas attack by Assad's government that killed at least 70 people in rebel-held territory. President Assad has denied his forces were behind the suspected nerve gas attack. <br/><br/>The latest development comes amid increasing tension in the region between the US and President Assad's ally, Russia. The Kremlin recently warned the US-led coalition that it would view its aircraft as targets after the US shot down a Syrian military plane.