Live updates: Iran and U.S. trade strikes, accuse each other of violating truce

Live updates: Iran and U.S. trade strikes, accuse each other of violating truce

American and Iranian negotiators agreed to the outline of a deal days ago, an Arab official involved in mediating peace talks tells NBC News, but both sides have delayed finalizing it.

‘Nothing can justify’ ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanese cities, Lebanese prime minister says

The prime minister of Lebanon said today that “nothing can justify” the ongoing attacks on the country by Israel.

The statement comes as the Israeli military earlier today pounded Tyre, Lebanon’s fourth largest city, in a wave of strikes across southern Lebanon that killed at least 14 people, despite a month-old ceasefire deal previously agreed between Israel and Lebanon.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that continued strikes, threats and evacuation orders across southern Lebanon "amount to collective punishment, condemned by all international norms and laws.”

He reiterated a demand for "an immediate ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from our land, and the restoration of state authority over all its territory, allowing all displaced persons to return to their homes in safety and dignity.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion in the Israeli military’s attacks in Lebanon on Wednesday, with Israel citing a rise in drone attacks from the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah targeting some of Israel’s northern border towns.

Bessent won't confirm deal with Iran

Trump will decide whether there will be a deal with Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press briefing at the White House today.

"The teams have been going back and forth," he said, adding that "everything depends on what the president wants to do, and President Trump is not going to make a bad deal for the American people."

Asked if Iran could get sanctions relief, Bessent said: "It is a multifaceted agreement, and nothing is going to be on the table until we see the Strait of Hormuz open, and the Iranians agree that they have to turn over the highly enriched uranium, and that they can't have a nuclear program."

Bessent says Trump's threat to blow up Oman was 'punctuating' importance of Hormuz

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that President Trump was trying to "punctuate" the importance of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when he threatened to "blow up" Oman, a key U.S. regional ally.

Trump made the remark in a Cabinet meeting yesterday, warning Oman against partnering with Iran to jointly control traffic through the strait. “Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up,” he said, before adding, “They understand that. They’ll be fine.”

When asked today if the Trump administration has plans to engage in a new war with Oman over the strait, Bessent told reporters: "I think the president wanted to punctuate freedom of navigation in the strait. I had a call with the Omani ambassador this morning, and he assured me that there were no plans for tolling the strait."

Bessent said the Omani ambassador told him that "our countries have had 200 years of good relations" and was eager for 200 more, but added that he warned him that tolling the strait would risk sanctions. “It’s a nonstarter,” Bessent added.

Trump is reviewing latest version of possible Iran agreement, two U.S. officials say

President Trump is reviewing the latest version of a potential agreement with Iran to kick-start a 60-day period of intensive discussions on Iran’s nuclear program but has not yet signed off on it, according to two U.S. officials. Iranian senior leadership also has not signed off on the deal, the officials said.

The Trump administration has touted progress in negotiations with Iran before, only for a deal not to be reached. So it’s unclear whether this instance is materially different.

If agreed to, the current version of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran would mark a significant step toward ending the Iran war.

But nothing is final until both the president and Iran agree and publicly sign off on the framework to extend the ceasefire and start larger negotiations on a more permanent deal.

Axios was first to report the news.

Netanyahu says Israel aims to control 70% of Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has directed the country's military to expand its control to cover 70% of the Gaza Strip.

“We were at 50, we moved to 60. My directive is to move to — let’s go step by step,” Netanyahu said. “First of all, 70. Let’s start with that. We’re pressing [Hamas] from all sides. We’ll deal with the remnants.”

After the Israeli assault on Gaza that followed the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, Israeli forces have retained control of more than half of the enclave. The continued Israeli presence has left some 2 million mostly displaced Palestinians squeezed into a small area, with many living in tents among the ruins of shattered cities.

Under an October U.S.-brokered truce that has failed to halt Israeli attacks or secure Hamas’ disarmament, Israeli troops were meant to initially withdraw to a “Yellow Line” demarcating the extent of their control, followed by an expected longer-term withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 75,000 people, including thousands of women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Women mourn during a funeral today for ten Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City last night. Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty Images

Terms of U.S.-Iran deal agreed 3 days ago but it hasn't been finalized, source says

A senior Arab official directly involved in mediating peace talks between Washington and Tehran tells NBC News that American and Iranian negotiators agreed to the terms of a truce deal three days ago, but both sides have delayed finalizing and announcing it.

“It was already closed in Doha three days ago, now everyone is playing a game of chicken and egg,” the official said, describing the delays as “frustrating.”

The official said that Iranian negotiators agreed and went back to their leaders to make the announcement, and now the American side is doing same, waiting for a final sign-off from Trump.

Asked if Trump is pressuring the peace negotiators to sign the Abraham Accords and normalize their relations with Israel, the official said Trump has brought it up.

“Someone is misunderstanding the situation in a big way,” the official said. “We should be paid back, not paying the price.”

In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump appeared to link the two issues, saying "it should be mandatory that all of these Countries" sign onto the accords.

Pakistan’s foreign minister to meet with Rubio in Washington tomorrow as deal efforts continue

Pakistan’s foreign minister will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tomorrow in Washington as efforts to reach a deal in the regional conflict continue, according to the Pakistani government.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Rubio will “review bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the foreign ministry said on social media.

“The discussions will also focus on strengthening cooperation in key priority sectors, as well as Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy,” the ministry said.

Oil prices rise on renewed tensions

The main global oil prices jumped late Thursday morning, partially reversing two days of declines, after renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran overnight.

U.S. crude oil jumped more than 1.3% to about $90 per barrel, while international Brent oil rose 1% to nearly $95 per barrel.

Speaking this morning at an investment conference in New York, Mike Wirth, the CEO of U.S. oil giant Chevron, said he “would expect as we get into June and certainly into July” to see even more “upward pressure” on prices.

Kuwait condemns 'heinous' Iran strike

Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today denounced what it called “heinous Iranian attacks” on its territory after Tehran said it had targeted a U.S. base in the Persian Gulf monarchy.

The attacks were a “dangerous escalation” and a “direct threat to the lives of civilians and vital infrastructure,” Kuwait's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Kuwait said the attacks came at a time when “strenuous efforts” were being made to reduce tensions and de-escalate the conflict in the region.

Other countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt also issued statements condemning the attacks and expressing support for Kuwait.

Photos: Emotional farewells at funerals in Lebanon and Israel

A mourner weeps over the body of a victim of an Israeli strike before the funeral today in Tyre, Lebanon. Kawnat Haju / AFP via Getty Images

At least 14 people were killed today as the Israeli military pounded Tyre in southern Lebanon. Among those killed in the flurry of strikes were five women and children and a Lebanese soldier.

The mother and other family members grieve over the coffin of Israeli soldier Sergeant Rotem Yanai during her funeral in Giv'at Ada today. Jack Guez / AFP via Getty Images

In Israel, relatives mourned soldier Sergeant Rotem Yanai, who was killed yesterday in a drone attack launched from Lebanon.

At least 3,213 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war broke out, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. At least 21 people have been killed in Israel since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Iranian official denounces U.S. ‘provocations’ after overnight strikes

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has said that U.S. attacks last night were "provocations" that "certainly constitute a violation of the ceasefire."

"A very key point that must be emphasized is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, which has now been firmly established," he said in a statement, according to semi-official news agency Tasnim.

U.S. Central Command said earlier that the overnight U.S. strikes took out attack drones “that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz,” as well as an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas.

Inside the ‘911 call center’ for Strait of Hormuz oil tankers stuck in crossfire

The ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has created uncertainty for hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers waiting for news of an agreement to reopen the crucial shipping corridor.

NBC News’ Raf Sanchez speaks with a crew member who was caught in the crossfire and takes us inside a U.K. agency serving as an emergency call center.

Iranian Navy fired on four ships that attempted to pass through Persian Gulf, Iranian media reports

Iranian media reported that the country's Navy had fired warning shots at four vessels that attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without authorization this morning. The vessels were forced to stop and turn away, semi-official news agency Tasnim reported, citing military sources.

The Iranian Navy, meanwhile, said in a statement that it had stopped several ships attempting to enter the Persian Gulf without authorization.

In its statement, the Iranian Navy said that the ships tried to enter the Persian Gulf by altering and turning off their navigation systems. After several radio warnings, it stopped two vessels in place and the others were forced to turn back, the statemet said. It did not say whether shots were fired.

The statement also said 26 commercial ships and oil tankers were permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, having coordinated with Iranian authorities.

The Iranian Navy also threatened a "harsh response" if the U.S. continues to strike Iran, accusing the U.S. military of violating the ceasefire agreement by firing several missiles near Bandar Abbas.

Gulf Cooperation Council condemns latest Iranian attack on Kuwait

The Gulf Cooperation Council, which is composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, today said it condemned in the strongest terms “the continued heinous Iranian attacks on the State of Kuwait.”

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the secretary general of the council, said in a statement that the “treacherous attacks” were a “flagrant violation” of international law and the United Nations Charter.

Albudaiwi said the GCC and its member states fully support Kuwait “in all measures it undertakes to maintain its security and stability, as well as the safety of its citizens and residents.”

Israeli strikes kill at least 14 in major Lebanon city ahead of Washington talks

The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon’s fourth largest city, killing at least 14 people across the south of the country in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.

Among those killed in the flurry of strikes were five women and children and a Lebanese soldier. Dozens of others were wounded, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry and the state-run National News Agency.

A man surveys the damage at the site of an Israeli strike today in Tyre, southern Lebanon. Kawnat Haju / AFP via Getty Images

An Israeli soldier meanwhile was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack in northern Israel, the Israeli military said.

The intensification comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion in the Israeli military’s attacks in Lebanon, apparently sparked by Hezbollah’s use of fiber-optic exploding drones that have struck Israeli troops in Lebanon and reached some of Israel’s northern border towns.

Trump says he’s not thinking about politics during Iran nuclear talks

Under pressure from soaring gas prices, President Trump said he’s not thinking about the midterms as he tries to wrangle a deal to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"They thought they were going to out wait me," he said. "Very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."

Iran and U.S. trade new strikes as Trump dismisses pressure to end war

Iran fired a missile at an American airbase in Kuwait Thursday just hours after the U.S. attacked the Islamic Republic, with both sides accusing the other of violating their shaky ceasefire and further imperiling diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Kuwait shot down the ballistic missile, the American and Kuwaiti militaries said. No damage or casualties were reported.

A U.S. official said that American forces in Kuwait were the suspected target. Iran said it had targeted a U.S. base responsible for strikes late Wednesday in Bandar Abbas, an Iranian port city near the Strait of Hormuz.

Hours earlier, President Donald Trump signaled an agreement between the two sides wasn’t close, and that he would not be rushed by either international economic pressure or the political pressure of upcoming midterm elections.