The U.S. this week sanctioned workers at a Syrian government science agency as part of the continued response to a sarin attack on civilians early in April.
Dozens of people were killed in the chemical attack on Idlib Province, an area in northern Syria controlled by forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.
President Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base in the wake of the attack, and on Monday the administration moved to blacklist 271 employees of the country's Scientific Studies and Research Center, according to The New York Times.
Syrian officials content that the center conducts medical and agricultural research, but U.S. officials believe its scientists help develop chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles.
French authorities said this week that a sample taken from the attack matched weapons previously utilized by the Assad regime.
The sanctions restrict those scientists from conducting business, financial or other transactions that involve individuals or companies in the U.S., and the Times noted that the practical impact of the move remained unclear.
The White House, however, said it sent a strong message to the Assad government and argued that the new restrictions targeted Syrians with a deep knowledge of chemistry as well as the ability to travel and use the U.S. financial system.
“The Treasury Department, together with the Department of State and our international partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of any individuals involved with Syria’s production or use of chemical weapons," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the White House, the Times reported.
The paper reported that the step by the Treasury Department more than doubles the number of Syrians prohibited from doing business in the U.S.; the agency included six employees among 18 Syrians sanctioned in January over previous chlorine gas attacks.