Donald Trump held a crisis meeting in the White House Situation Room as he prepares to make the biggest decision of his presidency - whether to engage U.S. forces in Israel's war with Iran.
The Situation Room gathering with top military and intelligence advisers lasted about 80 minutes and there was no immediate statement from the president.
Trump has already issued a chilling death threat to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, revealing the U.S. knows his precise location and that he is an 'easy target.'
Four U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers are now stationed at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, within striking distance of Iran.
The B-52s, which can carry nuclear weapons or other precision-guided bombs, were spotted on a runway at Diego Garcia on Monday.
Trump made his threat to the Ayatollah after abruptly ending G7 meetings in Canadato fly back to Washington.
His sudden departure immediately raised the prospect of an expanded war between Israel and Iran, and the potential for direct U.S. involvement.
Trump even angrily brushed off suggestions from French President Emmanuel Macron that he was returning to Washington to forge a peace deal between Israel and Iran.
Hostilities erupted early Friday when Israel launched a massive pre-emptive strike on Iran, hitting nuclear and military facilities and killing top military brass and nuclear scientists.
Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday: 'We know exactly where the so-called "Supreme Leader" is hiding
The Diego Garcia base, leased to the U.S. by Britain, is one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific region,
It was used as a hub for long-range bombers and ships during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Images provided by Planet Labs indicate the bombers arrived there in mid-May.
A C-17 Globemaster III troop and cargo transport plane is also at the base, as well as six jets likely to be KC-135 airborne refueling tankers.
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