Iran war news highlights: US imposes new sanctions on Tehran's military oil sales amid reports of breakthrough in deal

US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House, in Washington, DC, US, May 27, 2026.

This live blog has ended. For more updates, read here Iran war news highlights: The United States and Iran traded accusations of violating an ongoing ceasefire on Thursday after exchanging fire, marking the most serious flare-up since the truce began in April, three months after the Middle East conflict was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The escalation rattled efforts to negotiate a broader end to the war and drew in US ally Kuwait, which accused Tehran of carrying out a “dangerous escalation”.

The violence also intensified on the Lebanese front, where Israel declared large parts of southern Lebanon a combat zone and increased air strikes, including attacks near Beirut.

US and Iran exchange strikes

The United States and Iran exchanged strikes on Thursday in their most serious confrontation since the April ceasefire, raising fears over the stability of ongoing peace efforts and the reopening of the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

In fresh escalation in the war between the United States and Iran, the American forces on Wednesday struck Iran for the second time in a week on Wednesday and claimed that the strike was done in self defence after they observed some aggressive activity from the forces of the other side.

Giving an idea of the extent of this escalation, two US armed forces officials told news agency The Associated Press that they shot down four Iranian drones and attacked a base from where a fifth drone was about to be launched. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the Iranian drones posed threat to the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade waterway that has become a central point in the war that completes three months today.

According to a US official, who spoke to Reuters, the military site that they from where they claimed a fifth drone was going to be launched was an Iranian ground control station in Iran's Bandar Abbas.

"These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire," Reuters claimed the official as saying.

However, Iran said that it retaliated to the American strikes by targeting a US base in the region which was used for the attack, but refused to mention which US base it targeted specifically.

“Following the pre-dawn aggression today by the invading American army against a point on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport using aerial projectiles, the American airbase, as the origin of the aggression, was targeted at 4:50 a.m.," Iran's revolutionary guards said in a statement.

The IRGC also warned that any such strikes in future will be met with “more decisive” actions.

Kuwait faces missile, drone attacks

Hours after US' fresh strikes on Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz, sirens sounded across Kuwait which came under drone and missiles threat.

Kuwait armed forces general command said that the country's air defences was intercepting hostile missile and drone attacks. In a caution message to its citizens, the armed forces said that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile attacks.

“We call on everyone to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities,” they added.

US sanctions Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority

The United States late on Wednesday put Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a body the Islamic Republic formed to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, under sanctions.

The US added the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to its Specially Designated Nationals list, according to Treasury Department's website.

The sanctions were reportedly imposed after US' strike on Iran on Wednesday night.