A series of meetings will be held this week at the White House that will most likely determine whether or not the United States will be arming the Syrian rebels and at what extent that arming will reach according to U.S. officials.

The State and Defense Departments and the CIA have been preparing the paperwork for the meetings, the first of which will take place on Wednesday. It has been determined that the meetings are urgent in light of the fact that Iran and Hezbollah have increased the backing of the Syrian government and that increased backing has resulted in steady gains by the Syrian government against opposition forces.

It is estimated that as many as 5,000 Hezbollah forces are now in Syria aiding the pro-government forces there. Their presence played a large part in the re-taking of the border town of Qusair last week. Syrian forces along with Hezbollah are now poised to attack the strategic city of Homs. A Syrian government victory in that city will cut off the rebel forces from access to the southern portions of the country. The losses there and at Aleppo, where government troops are setting up to attack, would be devastating and irreversable.

Although in the meetings, it is likely that the topic of a no-fly zone will be discussed, it is not likely that that option will take place. Although, the topic will be seriously debated. President Obama has ruled out the option of American troops within Syria as well.

Secretary of State John Kerry has postponed his visit to Israel today in order to take part in the discussion at the White House this week.

It is unclear how the United States is going to change the course of the conflict in Syria without supplying arms or getting more directly involved in the fighting, but doing so will likely cause Iran to seek ways to retaliate against U.S. interests in the middle east region or elsewhere. Arming Syrian rebels will also do harm to relations with Russia, who have provided Syria with weapons and support but at the same time is working for a diplomatic solution through talks.