President Barack Obama has vowed the US will not be intimidated, after Islamic State militants released a video showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff.
Mr Obama warned: “Our reach is long and justice will be served.”
Another US journalist, James Foley, was similarly killed last month.
Separately, the UK held a meeting of its emergency Cobra committee after threats to kill a British hostage who was also shown in the latest video.
Islamic State has seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in recent months, declaring a new caliphate, or Islamic state, under leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The US has launched more than 120 air strikes in the past month to try to help Kurdish forces curb the IS advance.
After the latest video emerged, Mr Obama ordered the deployment of another 350 troops to Baghdad to protect US diplomatic facilities.
‘They have failed’
US National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said that US intelligence agents had “analysed the recently released video showing US citizen Steven Sotloff and has reached the judgment that it is authentic”.
Speaking in Estonia, Mr Obama said the beheading was a “horrific act of violence and we cannot begin to imagine the agony everyone who loves Steven is feeling right now. Our country grieves with them”.
wirestory
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