Obama said in his executive order that the additional steps were taken in response to Syrian government's "continuing escalation of violence against the people of Syria - including through attacks on protesters, arrests and harassment of protesters and political activists, and repression of democratic change, overseen and executed by numerous elements of the Syrian government."

Under his order, Syrian President al-Assad, Vice President Farouk al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmoud, Head of Syrian Military Intelligence Abdul Fatah Qudsiya and Director of Political Security Directorate Mohammed Dib Zaitoun are put under U.S. sanctions effective on Wednesday noon, under which their assets on U.S. soil are frozen.

Obama also authorized his secretaries of treasury and state to target more senior Syrian officials and entities for sanctions.