Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull insists that a deadly poison gas attack which killed at least 70 people in Syria is a war crime and "cries out for a strong response".
But his government won't be drawn on whether Australia would consider joining potential US action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if asked by the Trump administration.
"As a parent, a grandparent, everyone weeps when you see this sort of inhumanity, this cruelty," Mr Turnbull told 3AW Radio.
"We have condemned this attack utterly. It cries out for a strong response."
Mr Turnbull said Australia had been in close touch with its US ally, and he has discussed the issue with Defence Minister Marise Payne and the defence force chief.
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"I don't want to speculate any further," he said.
Australia has conducted some air strikes in Syria as part of its contribution to the fight against Islamic State extremists in the Middle East.
US Vice-President Mike Pence upped his criticism of the Assad regime in the wake of this week's deadly gas attack in northern Syria, telling US media "all options are on the table".
Asked if Australia would join any US action without UN backing, Defence Minister Marise Payne told ABC radio on Friday: "We'll make decisions in regard to those sorts of issues as they are brought to us."
Senator Payne said the most important thing now is to condemn the attack.
"We have to be clear with Russia, we have to be clear with those who support the regime that this is totally unacceptable," she said.
The minister said Australia would "of course" be part of the conversation about possible US action.
