What we know on Day 26 of the US and Israel’s war with Iran

By Helen Regan, CNN

(CNN) — US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Tuesday that a deal with Tehran is in sight, and said that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others were leading negotiations.

The move comes as the Trump administration weighs its options, with sources telling CNN that about 1,000 US soldiers with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are expected to deploy to the Middle East in the coming days.

Here’s what to know on Day 26.

What are the main headlines?

• Negotiations: An Iranian source told CNN that Tehran is willing to listen to “sustainable” proposals to end the war. For now, a meeting between the US and Iran in Islamabad later this week remains a possibility, but many are skeptical it will happen, sources said.
• At the table: Iranian representatives have let the Trump administration know Iran does not want to re-enter negotiations with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to two regional sources, who said Tehran would prefer to engage with the vice president.
• Crossing the strait: Iran will “absolutely” keep charging countries and vessels a fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said in an interview with India Today. He said states that have “nothing to do with this act of aggression” may pass through the vital waterway after “coordination with Iranian authorities.”
• Philippine emergency : The Philippines has declared a state of national emergency due to the Iran war. The leader of the country, a US ally, warned there was an “imminent danger” to the “availability and stability of the country’s energy supply.” Meanwhile, the effective closure of the strait is “economic terrorism against every nation,” said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
• Israel expands mobilization: Israel is set to approve a major increase in the number of reserve soldiers it can mobilize – setting a new limit of 400,000, up from 280,000. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military will continue to operate in Lebanon against Hezbollah, with a specific focus on controlling the Litani River and its remaining bridges.
• More attacks: Drones hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire at the site, the country’s civil aviation authority said early Wednesday. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said a projectile struck the grounds of its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday night, and described the incident as a “renewed attack” by the US and Israel.

What else is happening?

• North Korea’s nukes: Kim Jong Un said that the US’ war with Iran proves his country made the right decision to keep its nuclear weapons.
• Iran security chief: Iran appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) veteran, to lead its national security after Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli strike last week. Zolghadr is a loyalist of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and analysts say his elevation signals Khamenei is tightening his grip on power.
• Injured Americans: About 290 US service members have been injured during combat operations targeting Iran as of Tuesday, ticking up from approximately 200 last week, according to a spokesperson for US Central Command.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.