Given the task definition and input, reply with output. In this task, you are given a piece of an article. Your task is to generate a short summary of the text. Try to give the summary in just one sentence.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday that Syria would defend itself against any aggression following reports that the United States and its allies were preparing military action in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack.

Bashar al-Assad said Syria would defend itself against any aggression.