During his statement, Obama said that top U.S. intelligence officials received a tip in the fall of 2010 that bin Laden might be hiding in a compound in Pakistan.

The compound, which was built five years ago in all likelihood to safekeep bin Laden, sits on a relatively large piece of land on the outskirts of the center of Abbottabad.

Surrounded by twelve to eighteen foot walls topped with barbed wire, the gated, isolated compound—lacking television and internet connection—attracted the attention of the American intelligence community.

In addition, officials said, the brothers who owned the compound had no explainable source of wealth.

The U.S. identified one of the brothers as a courier with connections the former number three of Al Qaeda and a mastermind of the September 11 attacks who was captured in 2005.

The courier was also considered to be one of the few couriers trusted by bin Laden, officials said.

A third family residing in the complex matched the size and make-up of the family US officials expected would be living with bin Laden, including his youngest wife.

Given the information at hand, Obama ordered the operation Friday morning. No other countries were notified about the operation, the officials said.

—Staff writer Ariane Litalien contributed reporting to this story.

—Staff writer Michelle M. Hu can be reached at michellehu@college.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Caroline M. McKay can be reached at carolinemckay@college.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Monika L.S. Robbins can be reached at mrobbins@college.harvard.edu.