Early Edition: March 27, 2026

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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

IRAN WAR 

President Trump yesterday announced that he was once again postponing his deadline for Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating strikes on its power plants, saying he would give Tehran 10 more days. Trump claimed that the additional time was being given “per Iranian Government request,” adding “talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.” Erica L. Green and Edward Wong report for the New York Times.

The Israeli military said this morning it had conducted a wave of strikes “in the heart of Tehran.” Attacks on Iran have damaged 82,000 civilian buildings, including hospitals, residential units, and the homes of 180,000 people, across 20 of Iran’s 32 provinces, the International Organization for Migration said today. Sam McNeil and Vahid Salemi report for AP News.  

Iranian strikes on Gulf states continued yesterday. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 11 drones, with debris from one interception killing two people in Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted at least 36 drones aimed at its Eastern Province. Eve Sampson reports for the New York Times.  

Trump said yesterday during a Cabinet meeting that Iran signaled willingness to negotiate by allowing 10 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House has not provided further details about the tankers, which Trump said he believed were flying the Pakistani flag. During the Cabinet meeting, administration officials offered few concrete details or endgame plans, highlighting a dual-track strategy of pursuing peace talks while continuing military pressure. Megan Messerly reports for POLITICO.  

“Iran’s [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] has imposed a de facto ‘toll booth’ regime in the Strait of Hormuz,” according to shipping information firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Entities that want their vessels to safely pass must submit their details to “approved intermediaries” of the IRGC, whereupon approved vessels receive a code and are escorted by an IRGC vessel. “While not all ships are paying a direct toll, at least two vessels have and the payment is settled in yuan,” Lloyd’s List said. David McHugh and Jon Gambrell report for AP News. 

The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the Middle East in the coming days, according to a senior U.S. defense official. The official said a decision should be made next week and said the troops will be from different combat units than the ones already sent to the region. Two U.S. officials and two other sources told Axios that the Pentagon is developing military options for a “final blow” in Iran, which could include the use of ground forces. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said yesterday that Moscow has “supplied Iran with certain types of military products,” but added “we can’t accept the accusation that we’re helping Iran with intelligence.” Dasha Litvinova reports for AP News.  

The United States has deployed uncrewed drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations in Iran, the Pentagon said this week. This is the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in active conflict. David Jeans reports for Reuters.  

IRAN WAR – POLITICAL RESPONSE 

The UAE has told allies that it would participate in a multinational maritime task force intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to three sources. Two sources added that Abu Dhabi would deploy its own navy. Senior Emirati minister Sultan al-Jaber, who discussed the issue with Vice President JD Vance in Washington this week, said that “Iran holds Hormuz hostage, every nation pays the ransom, at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at the pharmacy”. Simeon Kerr, Abigail Hauslohner, and Andrew England report for the Financial Times.  

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is working with a group of senators to draft legislation for a formal authorization for the use of military force that would force Congress to vote on whether to approve the war in Iran, a spokesperson confirmed yesterday. Murkowski described the move as an act of desperation to try to put some parameters around the operation as the Trump administration refused to provide answers to Congress about its objectives, cost, and timeline. Megan Mineiro and Robert Jimison report for the New York Times.

LEBANON 

Israel said yesterday it has sent a third military division across the border into Lebanon. The move came after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would create a “security zone” up to the Litani river, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border in some places. “We have ordered an acceleration in the destruction of Lebanese homes in contact-line villages to neutralize threats to Israeli communities, in accordance with the model of Beit Hanoun and Rafah in Gaza,” Katz said on Tuesday. Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,110 people in Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry there said yesterday. Erica L. Green and Edward Wong report for the New York Times; Kareem Chehayeb and Julia Frankel report for AP News. 

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

The Pentagon is considering whether to divert weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, according to three sources. This would include air defense interceptor missiles, ordered through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List last year, the sources said. In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson said the Defense Department would “ensure that U.S. forces and those of our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win,” but declined to otherwise comment. Noah Robertson and Ellen Francis report for the Washington Post.  

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS  

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell yesterday said that $15.7 million worth of lifesaving supplies, which were either on the way to or being prepared for shipment to Somalia, are now at risk because of the ongoing war in Iran. “It means that we can’t get supplies in as easily, and that fuel costs are really high,” she said. “It’s another problem that we have to try to deal with, and it means that more and more children will suffer.” Omar Faruk reports for AP News.  

Pakistan’s military has resumed operations against Afghanistan after a temporary pause, Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced yesterday. Asif Shahzad reports for Reuters.  

The International Olympic Committee yesterday announced that it has barred transgender athletes from competing in the women’s category of the Olympics and said that all participants in those events must undergo genetic testing. The rules will be applicable for the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Tariq Panja reports for the New York Times.  

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

Only $1.6 million of the roughly $9.7 million worth of contraceptives, originally intended for low-income countries in Africa but stranded in Belgium after the U.S. government dismantled U.S.A.I.D, remained usable as of September last year, according to an internal U.S.A.I.D. memo. The remaining $8.1 million had been transported and stored without refrigeration, rendering it unusable. The memo also showed that the government had the option to donate the still-viable contraceptives to the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders, but officials noted that “as with all issues related to this matter, this carries the potential for additional media attention.” Jeanna Smialek and Stephanie Nolen report for the New York Times. 

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS 

The Mexican Navy said yesterday it had activated a search-and-rescue operation in the Caribbean to locate two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba, after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled. A separate vessel from the convoy arrived on Tuesday. Reuters reports. 

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS 

The Justice Department this week conceded to a federal judge that it had been incorrectly citing an ICE memo to partially justify arrests at immigration courthouses, according to a court filing. The DOJ lawyers disclosed that the May 2025 ICE memo applies to most courthouses, but not immigration courts, where agents have been making arrests. The letter also said that the error does not affect their other arguments in support of the legality of immigration court arrests. The Homeland Security Department yesterday said, “There is no change in policy,” adding “we will continue to arrest illegal aliens at immigration courts following their proceedings.” Camilo Montoya-Galvez and Jacob Rosen report for CBS News.

Costa Rica yesterday confirmed that it would accept 25 migrants deported from the United States per week as part of an agreement to help the Trump administration’s policy of deporting immigrants to third countries. Javier Cordona and Megan Janetsky report for AP News. 

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

The Senate voted overnight to fund large swathes of the Homeland Security Department, excluding the agency’s main immigration enforcement operations. The bill must be considered by the House, which could vote on it as soon as today. The Senate agreement came hours after Trump said he would sign an executive order directing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to pay Transportation Security Administration agents. Sam Gringlas reports for NPR; Aaron Pellish reports for POLITICO. 

The judge overseeing the criminal prosecution of Nicolas Maduro yesterday suggested that the Venezuelan government should be allowed to pay for Maduro’s legal fees despite U.S. sanctions. The judge did not rule on the legal fees, but floated that if the Treasury Department continued to deny the license, the only remedy would be for him to dismiss the case. Erica Orden reports for POLITICO.   

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

Trump’s signature will appear on newly printed U.S. paper currency as part of the administration’s efforts to “honor the 250th anniversary of the United States of America,” the Treasury Department announced yesterday. The move makes Trump the first sitting president to have his signature on U.S. paper currency. Aide Reiter reports for POLITICO.  

Trump yesterday signed an executive order asking federal contractors and their subcontractors to eliminate DEI practices, according to the White House. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters. 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard yesterday shared an unclassified summary of ODNI’s year-one efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and modernize tech at U.S. intelligence agencies. Tim Starks reports for Cyberscoop.  

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said yesterday that every Justice Department or FBI employee who worked on the criminal investigation into Trump has been fired, resigned, or took early retirement. At the DOJ, Blanche said, that number amounts to over 200 people. Hannah Rabinowitz reports for CNN.  

The Justice Department on Wednesday informed Stanford University, the Ohio State University, and the University of California, San Diego, that it has opened investigations into their admissions policies. The DOJ has demanded that the schools turn over extensive lists of data by April 24 or risk interruption to essential federal funding, two sources said. The government is seeking information about medical school applicants over the past seven years and has also demanded copies of any internal messages at the universities about DEI. Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder report for the New York Times.  

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION 

A federal judge yesterday issued a preliminary injunction, ruling that Anthropic will not be restricted from continuing its federal contracts for now. “The record supports an inference that Anthropic is being punished for criticizing the government’s contracting position in the press,” the judge said. “Nothing in the governing statute supports the Orwellian notion that an American company may be branded a potential adversary and saboteur of the U.S. for expressing disagreement with the government.” Mike Isaac reports for the New York Times. 

Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.

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