Over the last 24 hours the United States and Britain have given the clearest indication yet that the military action will soon be launched against Afghanistan.
In his weekly radio address yesterday, US President George W Bush warned only the immediate handover of Osama bin Laden would avert strikes against the Taliban.
"The Taliban has been given the opportunity to surrender all the terrorists in Afghanistan and to close down their camps and operations. Full warning has been given, and time is running out," Mr Bush said.
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US Chief of Staff, Andrew Card
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Later Mr Bush held a 45-minute video-conference with his national security team on the crisis. With him at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland were his National Security Adviser, Ms Condoleezza Rice, CIA Director Mr George Tenet and Chief of Staff Mr Andrew Card.
His warning was echoed by British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair who said all preparations were now in place for a military strike against Osama bin Laden's terror network and Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime.
Speaking to journalists travelling with him en route from New Delhi, India, to London yesterday, Mr Blair said his three-day diplomatic shuttle mission had left him convinced that a global coalition now accepted the "inter-connection" between Bin Laden and the Taliban.
The British Prime Minister also outlined the practical - as well as moral - case to send British troops into action in an article today for the News of the World.
Meanwhile Britain's Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, told BBC One's Breakfast with Frostprogramme this morning said action was needed to secure the UK and the rest of the world against further terrorist attacks.
Mr Blunkett acknowledged people’s concerns about strikes but reassured the public the British government had taken every step to make sure that it had put in place protection of both facilities and people.
In other developments the Whitehouse has refused to comment on the incident yesterday evening in which the Taliban claim two US planes were shot. They also rejected an offer by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to try Muslim militant Osama bin Laden under Islamic law, saying he must be handed over.
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Residents of Kabul point skywards after intense anti-aircraft fire erupted over Kabul yesterday for about 15 minutes as gunners tried to bring down two aircraft thought to be US spy planes
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As Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance today said US air strikes could be just hours away, the Taliban have said they have deployed an extra 8,000 fighters along the border with the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan.
The Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has taken a defiant line reflected in a statement faxed yesterday to reporters in Kabul.
"Those who have perpetrated the attacks in the United States have left no traces behind them. If the United States thinks that the hijackers were the real culprits, then they have been killed," he said.
"No one will commit suicide on the orders of another or for the aims and interests of others," the Mullah said, adding that the United States should examine its own record in trying to find the "remedy" for the attacks last month.