The White House says talks between special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials are still planned after a Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.

The gambit was successful. At least twice, the president weighed ordering an attack on Iran, only to be dissuaded by aides from moving forward. But America now appears to be on the brink of war with Iran again. And this time, instead of acting as a deterrent, the Pentagon’s war plans are being used to draw up options for the president to consider.

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U.S. military buildup in Persian Gulf intensifies as Trump deploys naval force near Iran. Aircraft carriers and destroyers position for potential strikes.

An Iranian fighter jet crashed during a late-night training mission in the western Hamadan province, killing one of the two pilots on board, Iranian state media reported. The other pilot survived and authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran must make a "meaningful deal" in negotiations with Washington in the next 10 days or else "bad things happen", as he deployed warships, fighter

The US military has assembled the greatest amount of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq by sending significant numbers of cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters and support aircraft to the region.