U.S. spy planes have begun reconnaissance missions over Syria, according to an unidentified official cited by the Associated Press on Tuesday. Defense officials said the move could pave the way for eventual airstrikes against militant targets in the region.

While the President Barack Obama has not decided on any military action in Syria, officials said gathering intelligence on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a necessary step if the U.S. hopes to crush the militant movement in the Middle East.

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For now, the Pentagon is assessing viable options for the president including the use of airstrikes.

For years, Obama has resisted U.S. military involvement in Syria - even after last year's deadly chemical attacks which he blamed on the Syrian government - in an attempt to avoid being drawn into a complex civil war that has led to more than 190,000 casualties.

But the president is now faced with the pressure of dealing militarily with the ISIS in Syria, especially after last week's beheading of American journalist James Foley, which Washington described as a "terrorist attack against (the) country."

While the administration has declined to comment on the Syrian surveillance mission, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest relayed on Monday Obama's willingness to take necessary action to protect U.S. citizens.

On Monday, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem expressed his country's readiness to cooperate with regional and international alliances to fight terrorism but said efforts to combat such must be coordinated with the government.

He warned the U.S. against unauthorized airstrikes, saying that any attack uncoordinated with the government would be taken as "aggression."

In response, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told media on Monday that just because both the U.S. and Syria are taking on the fight against the ISIS, doesn't mean that they are "on the same side of the coin."

"...When American lives are at stake, when we're talking about defending our own interests, we're not looking for the approval of the Syrian regime," Psaki added.

So far, there has been little indication that the foreign community is willing to cooperate with the Syrian regime, Haveeru Daily reported.

TagsISIS, Iraq, Barack Obama, al-Nursa Front