Iran has threatened to retaliate, including by striking U.S. bases, if Washington launches an attack on the country.

The US military has assembled a massive collection of weapons systems in the Middle East in the midst of ongoing diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran, flooding ships and aircraft to nearby waters and the constellation of US bases in the region.

Iran says it temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most crucial shipping lanes, for a military drill and missile test.

The U.S. has deployed dozens of military aircraft and other assets to bases in and near the Middle East, with President Donald Trump suggesting Thursday strikes against Iran could begin “within 10 days” if a deal is not reached about its nuclear program.

A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday upheld the U.S. military's longstanding policy banning people with HIV from enlisting, rejecting claims that advances in medical treatment made it unreasonable.

The US military struck three alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on Monday night, killing all 11 people on board, US Southern Command said Tuesday.

The series of strikes brought the death toll to at least 145 people since the administration began targeting the small vessels since September.

A look at the warships, jet fighters and missiles massing at Iran’s doorstep.