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.

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou alleges the US has finalized a decision to attack Iran early next week. He claims public deadlines are a tactical distraction and this is validated by US military redeployments across the Middle East.

Oil fell in early Asian trade. President Trump is weighing an initial limited military strike on Iran to compel the country to meet his demands for a nuclear deal.

The US has amassed a vast military force in the Middle East as President Donald Trump warned Iran to reach a deal within a “maximum” of 15 days or “bad things will happen”. The American build-up is enough to sustain a weeks-long air campaign,