More than 60 attack aircraft were captured on satellite imagery on Friday at a US base in Jordan, in the latest sign that Trump is planning to strike Iran.
Dozens of aircraft were seen parked at the base, known as Muwaffaq Salti, according to flight tracking data reviewed by the New York Times.
The 60 aircraft are about triple the number of jets that are normally stationed there. At least another 68 cargo planes have also landed at the base since Sunday.
Satellite imagery also revealed several drones, helicopters, F-35 stealth jets, and new air defenses have landed at the base.
Anonymous Jordanian officials told the Times they hope negotiations will prevent military action in the region, but that American planes are deployed at the base as part of a defense agreement between the two countries.
Donald Trump has alluded to striking Iran in the coming days, telling reporters on Friday that he was considering military action to pressure Iranian officials to negotiate the terms of the country’s nuclear program.
White House sources previously told the New York Times and CNN that the US was prepared to strike Iran as early as this weekend.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, Trump said that the US would ‘maybe’ make a deal with Iran.
Satellite imagery viewed by the New York Times revealed an increase in aircraft and cargo planes at a base in Jordan known as Muwaffaq Salti, pictured above
Donald Trump has alluded to military strikes against Iran if current negotiations are not met. He is pictured above answering questions from reporters on Friday
Satellite images from January revealed a number of aircraft at the Jordanian air base
‘You’re going to be finding out over the next, maybe, 10 days,’ he added. Trump later said the maximum timeline was 15 days.
Indirect negotiations between Iranian and US officials in Geneva reportedly lasted about three and a half hours on Tuesday, according to CNN.
Iran’s top negotiator said both sides agreed upon a ‘set of guiding principles, while a US official said there were ‘still a lot of details to discuss.’
A European diplomat briefed on the negotiations told the Washington Post that Iran is not willing to negotiate on its right to enrich uranium, which is the most-used fuel for nuclear power.
The diplomat added that Trump’s decision to increase military support in the region was reassuring to some officials, but noted that there was concern over an ‘extended conflict,’ adding it would be ‘bloody.’
‘And it could bring more countries, either deliberately or by miscalculation, into the war,’ the diplomat said.
A US official speaking anonymously also told the Washington Post that Trump’s top national security advisors met in the Situation Room on Wednesday to discuss Iran.
Karoline Leavitt told reporters the same day that Iran was expected to provide additional information on negotiations ‘in the next couple of weeks.’
‘I’m not going to set deadlines on behalf of the president of the United States,’ she added.
Leavitt said that diplomacy was always the president’s ‘first option,’ but didn’t rule out military action, adding there were ‘many reasons and arguments’ supporting a strike against Iran.
Sources briefed on the military operations have also previously told multiple publications that the Olympics pose a roadblock for potential military action.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Department of War and the White House for comment.
