President Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s power plants unless it fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, by April 6. Israel on Friday launched more strikes on Iran.

 

Iran War Live Updates: Trump Claims Progress in Talks and Extends Strait of Hormuz Deadline

President Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s power plants unless it fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, by April 6. Israel on Friday launched more strikes on Iran.

 

John Yoon

Updated

March 27, 2026, 3:38 a.m. ET45 minutes ago

John Yoon

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/27/world/iran-war-trump-oil-israel

 

Here’s the latest.

President Trump extended from Friday to April 6 his deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, claiming progress in talks to end a war that has choked oil supplies and roiled economies around the world.

 

Mr. Trump said on Thursday that the extension was requested by the Iranian government, which has so far publicly denied any negotiations with the United States. Mr. Trump wrote on social media: “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.” He made the announcement minutes after the U.S. stock market ended one of its worst days this year.

 

Mr. Trump first announced his intention to strike power plants last Saturday, giving Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, he extended it to Friday.

 

There was little indication of a breakthrough to help end the war that started when the United States and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28. The Israeli military said early Friday that it had detected missile launches from Iran toward Israel, and later that it had completed another wave of strikes “in the heart of Tehran.”

 

The hostilities have threatened energy infrastructure and shipping in the Persian Gulf, a vital source of oil and gas for the global economy. The threat of Iranian attacks has effectively choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and a fifth of its gas before the war.

 

Mr. Trump has urged other countries — including Britain, France and Japan — to send warships to help ward off Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. But his call has been mostly ignored or rejected. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the message before traveling to France for a gathering of top diplomats from the Group of 7 nations on Friday.

 

“Well, it’s in their interests to help,” Mr. Rubio said of allied countries before leaving the United States. “Very little of our energy comes through the Strait of Hormuz. It’s the world that has a great interest in that, so they should step up and deal with it.”

 

The fighting in the Middle East is expected to dominate the G7 meetings. The de-escalation of the conflict and the reopening of maritime and trade routes are on the agenda for discussions.

 

Here’s what else we’re covering:

 

Pentagon: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will not hold a news conference this week, the Pentagon said on Thursday. That means the two leaders won’t take questions from reporters on the Iran war until Monday — at least 11 days since their last news conference.

 

Lebanon: More than one million people have been displaced in Lebanon during Israel’s war on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia, and many have fled to the capital, Beirut, according to the country’s health ministry. Over 100,000 people are relying on shelters in schools and other public buildings, according to the United Nations, as Israel plans to expand its occupation of southern Lebanon. Read more ›

 

Oman: Residents of a tranquil coastal town in Oman, directly across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, described a decline in tourism and an unsettling quiet as war rages nearby. Read more ›

 

Death tolls: The Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported that more than 1,492 civilians have been killed in Iran. More than 1,110 people in Lebanon have been killed, the health ministry there said on Thursday. At least 16 people have been killed in Iranian attacks on Israel, officials said. And the American death toll stands at 13 service members.