U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a strong warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad over another plan to use chemical weapons on civilians including children.

A statement issued Monday night by Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the Trump administration discovered evidence that the regime of Assad could be planning another chemical weapons attack.

It said the present activities of the Syrian army were similar to that of an April when the first chemical weapons attack blamed Assad’s administration was launched.

“The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children.”

“As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

“If, however, Mr Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price,” the statement read.

It is unclear how the U.S. plans to make Assad government pay for any attack but reports say the State Department, the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies would all be consulted before the White House issued such a declaration.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations has also said that Russia and Iran would be blamed for any chemical attack on Syrians.

Haley noted that it would not be out of place to blame the two countries since they support the atrocities committed by the Assad government.