US President Donald Trump has been convening the National Security Council at the White House for several hours as he prepares to make one of the biggest decisions of his presidency: whether to commit US forces to the war between Israel and Iran.
Before the meeting with his generals, Trump made a shocking statement on his Truth Social network, where he directly threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, revealing that the US knows exactly his location and that he is an "easy target."
"We know exactly where the 'supreme leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but he is safe for now - we will not eliminate him, at least not now. But we do not want missiles aimed at American civilians or soldiers. Our patience is running out," Trump wrote.
Meanwhile, images have been released showing four US B-52 Stratofortress bombers stationed at Diego Garcia air base in the Indian Ocean - within striking distance of Iran. The planes, which can carry nuclear weapons or precision-guided bombs, arrived at the base in mid-May, according to satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs.
In addition to the B-52 bombers, Diego Garcia also hosts a C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and six aircraft believed to be KC-135s, capable of aerial refueling - a sign that the US is maintaining a significant military capacity in the region.
Trump has returned to Washington in a hurry, cutting short his participation in the G7 summit in Canada, which has increased speculation of an escalation of the war and direct US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. So far, he has not made a decision to launch attacks against Iran, but has offered defensive support to Israel during the five-day bombing campaign.
The situation remains extremely tense, and any future decision by Washington could change the course of the conflict in the Middle East. (A2 Televizion)
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