Here’s the latest.

 

Max Bearak Eric Schmitt Erika Solomon and Euan Ward

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05/26/world/iran-war-trump-deal

 

Here’s the latest.

Iran deployed mine-laying boats in the Strait of Hormuz and flew attack drones near American ships, threatening actions that drew U.S. strikes early Tuesday, according to two American officials. Hours later, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps promised a “decisive reciprocal response” to any cease-fire violations.

The two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military matters, said the strikes came after the Americans observed Iranian forces taking several actions, including launching the drones and activity at missile launch sites. The U.S. military attacked Iranian boats and launch sites in what it called “self-defense strikes.”

The ratcheting up of hostilities after a period of relative calm added to the uncertainty surrounding negotiations for a potential peace deal. President Trump and his administration have continued to offer conflicting signals about the state of play, indicating over the weekend that a deal, at least to open the key oil and gas shipping lanes of the strait, was close at hand.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said talks to end the war were in progress, and that a deal could take “a few days.” A day earlier, Mr. Trump said there was no hurry to reach an agreement, and the result would be either “great and meaningful” or “no deal” at all. Iran’s lead negotiators returned home on Tuesday from peace talks in Qatar, indicating at least a temporary pause in the discussions.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened a return to hostilities while also pushing for a peace agreement. He has focused on a preliminary deal to reopen the strait, which Iran has effectively blockaded, but Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and U.S. sanctions on Iran remain largely unresolved issues.

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said in a written statement on Tuesday that the war with the United States had shown that American military bases in the Middle East are no longer safe.

Here’s what else we’re covering:

• Internet in Iran: A top Iranian official said on Tuesday that the government was gradually loosening restrictions on internet access, months after imposing a near-total blackout on millions of Iranians. Read more ›
• Israeli strikes in Lebanon: Israel’s military said it had struck more than 100 sites overnight in Lebanon, including what it said were weapons storage facilities used by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The escalation threatens to complicate diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Iran. Read more ›