Syria's main opposition bloc said Sunday it was disappointed with U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to seek approval from Congress for action against the regime, but said it believed lawmakers would OK a strike, as Damascus described the U.S. leader as "hesitant" and "confused."

"We had a feeling of disappointment. We were expecting things to be quicker, that a strike would be imminent... But we believe Congress will approve a strike," said Samir Nashar, a top official at the Syrian National Coalition.

President Barack Obama called his French counterpart Francois Hollande on Saturday before announcing his decision to ask Congress to back military action against Syria, a senior White House official said.

After British lawmakers voted on Thursday to reject their government's plan to join the U.S.-led action, France is the only Western power likely to take part in future strikes.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday he understood President Barack Obama's decision to ask the U.S. Congress to authorize military action against Syria, after his own parliament blocked him from involving British forces in any strikes.

"I understand and support Barack Obama's position on Syria," the British prime minister said in a tweet.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced Saturday that the United States is ready to strike Syria "whenever it chooses," adding also that he will ask the Congress to authorize the military action, lifting the threat of immediate strikes on President Bashar Assad's regime.

Obama said he had decided a chemical weapons attack on a Syrian suburb that killed more than 1,400 people was so heinous that he would respond with a limited U.S. military strike.

Syria said it has its "finger on the trigger" as it braces for what it considers an imminent Western military strike, as U.S. President Barack Obama plans to address the nation.

"The Syrian army is fully ready, its finger on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario that they want to carry out," Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said.

Even as the world waited Saturday to hear when President Barack Obama was to order military strikes against Syria's chemical-armed regime,the U.S. leader was already under fire at home.

While the latest opinion polls show that the American public does not even support Obama's plan for a "limited, narrow" operation, his hawkish opponents demanded tougher action.

A meeting was held between Hizbullah and the Mustaqbal Movement in an attempt to preserve peace and deter tension in Lebanon as the result of any possible developments in Syria, media reports revealed on Saturday.

The An Nahar daily said that “indirect contacts” between the two parties were held, adding that “a Hizbullah affiliate held a meeting with Mustaqbal officials expressing willingness to exert all efforts needed to preserve calm in the streets and avoid any reactions over the unrest in Syria.”

U.S. President Barack Obama was meeting top national security aides on Friday over possible missile strikes to punish Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons in a deadly attack last week.

France gave its backing to the U.S. plans after British lawmakers voted against any involvement in military action against Damascus and other close allies including Germany said they would not sign up.

France on Friday reaffirmed its will for "strong" action against the Syrian regime, a day after the British parliament's shock rejection of military strikes -- putting it in a position to become the United States' main ally in the Syria crisis.

The situation is a far cry from a decade back when Franco-U.S. ties hit a low over differences on Iraq and then-president Jacques Chirac's opposition to the Anglo-U.S. offensive against Saddam Hussein's regime.

The United States is still seeking an "international coalition" in response to Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons, despite a vote against military action by British MPs, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday.

"Our approach is to continue to find an international coalition that will act together," Hagel told a news conference.