WASHINGTON - The United States, which has long had tense relations with Syria, expressed gratitude on Tuesday to the Syrian government for going after men who attacked the U.S. Embassy in Damascus and said it hopes Syria will join the war on terror.

"Syrian officials came to the aid of the Americans, the U.S. government is grateful for the assistance the Syrians provided in going after the attackers," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

"We are hoping they will become an ally and make the choice of fighting against terrorists."

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Four gunmen attacked attacked the U.S. embassy in Damascus on Tuesday, but failed to harm any American diplomats before all four were killed, a Syrian official said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday it was too early to say who might have been behind a failed suicide attack on the U.S. embassy in Syria earlier in the day.

Syrian state television said the attackers had tried to detonate a car bomb in front of the embassy but had failed.

The Syrian official said all U.S. diplomats were safe. A witness said at least one Syrian security guard had been killed by the attackers, who had been shouting religious slogans.

Syrian Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majid told Syrian television an investigation was underway.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos confirmed there had been an attack.

"We can confirm reports of an attack on our embassy in Damascus by unknown assailants. The event appears to be over," he said.

Syrian security forces sealed off the Rawda area after heavy gunfire erupted. Ambulances and fire-fighting units rushed to the scene, sirens wailing. The district also houses security installations and the homes of top government officials.

There was no word on the identity of the attackers, but Syrian forces have clashed with Islamist militants several times in recent months, often during raids to arrest them.

In June, four gunmen and a guard were killed when Syrian security forces said they had foiled an attack by Islamist militants near the premises of state-run television in Damascus.

U.S.-Syrian relations are very tense. The United States recalled its ambassador from Syria in February 2005, expressing "profound outrage" over the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut.

Washington blames Syria for that killing. Damascus denies any involvement.

The United States increased its criticism of Syria during Israel's 34-day conflict in July and August with Lebanese-based Hezbollah guerrillas, who are supported by Syria and Iran.

Syria, accused by Washington of helping insurgents in Iraq and backing Hezbollah and Hamas, blames the rise of militancy in the region on U.S. policies such as the Iraq war and U.S. support for Israel.

In the early 1980s, Syria crushed an armed revolt led by the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

The Tuesday attack came one day after the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States by Al-Qaida.

Britain's ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford, told CNN that the attack did not appear to be a "major Al-Qaida like operation, but an operation by a small group."