DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel and Gulf Arab states Tuesday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the war.
Trump also delayed a deadline for Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz for shipping or see its power stations targeted by airstrikes, briefly driving down oil prices and boosting stocks.
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A man takes cover as air raid sirens sound, warning of rockets launched from Lebanon toward Israel, in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Children play beside a fragment of an Iranian ballistic missile that landed in a schoolyard in the Israeli settlement of Peduel in the West Bank Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Rubble covers the furniture of a destroyed living room in a residential building hit in an earlier U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Rescue workers and first responders work at a residential building hit in an earlier U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel, early Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
The delay offered a reprieve after the U.S. and Iran traded threats over the weekend of strikes that could have cut electricity to millions in Iran and around the Gulf and knocked out desalination plants that provide many desert nations with drinking water, while raising fears of possible catastrophe if nuclear plants were hit.
But any information on the talks described by Trump remain in dispute with Iran, which denied any talks had been held.
“No negotiations have been held with the US,” Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X, adding that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon even as the U.S. considers a ceasefire.
“There’s more to come,” he said.
Iran fired three waves of missiles at Israel early Tuesday, with reports of an impact in the country's north, the Israeli Home Front Command said.
Israel, meantime, pounded Beirut's southern suburbs saying that it was targeting infrastructure used by the Iran-linked Hezbollah militant group.
In Kuwait, power lines were hit from air defense shrapnel, causing partial electricity outages in several hours. Missile alert sirens sounded in Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 19 Iranian drones targeting its oil-rich Eastern Province.
Oil prices briefly fell below $100 a barrel after Trump claimed his government was in talks to end the war. But that respite was short lived, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard, back to $104 a barrel in morning trading, up more than 40% since Israel and the U.S. started the war on Feb. 28.
Trump initially set a deadline of late Monday, Washington time, for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, but on Monday he gave Tehran five more days to comply.
Iran has allowed a small number of ships through the strait, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, but has said it will continue to target vessels linked to the U.S., Israel or its allies.
Its leaders are wary of Washington's motives, in part because Tehran was in negotiations with the U.S. before the surprise attack that started the war. Iran had also been in talks last year when the U.S. and Israel attacked its nuclear facilities, starting a 12-day war.
Trump's extension of the deadline comes as a contingent of thousands of Marines is on the way to the area, raising speculation that the U.S. may try to seize Kharg Island, which is off of Iran's coast and vital to the country's oil network.
The U.S. bombed the island in the Persian Gulf more than a week ago, hitting its defenses but saying it had left oil infrastructure intact.
Iran has threatened if the U.S. appears to be on the verge of landing troops it could mine the Persian Gulf, which would complicate an amphibious assault and also imperil all shipping in the area.
The delay could be timed to coincide with the arrival of U.S. Marines in the region, expected Friday, wrote the New York-based think tank the Soufan Center in an analysis.
“As Trump has in the past, he could be moving military assets into place, in this case to prepare for an invasion and seizure of Kharg Island, while using negotiations as a cover until those assets are fully combat-ready.”
However, the center also noted that “Trump could be actively seeking an offramp. Whether Iran reciprocates is yet to be seen.”
Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but has not ruled it out. Israel has suggested its ground forces could take part in the war.
Iran’s death toll has surpassed 1,500, its Health Ministry has said. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian strikes. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed, along with more than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states.
Rising reported from Bangkok and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.
A man takes cover as air raid sirens sound, warning of rockets launched from Lebanon toward Israel, in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Children play beside a fragment of an Iranian ballistic missile that landed in a schoolyard in the Israeli settlement of Peduel in the West Bank Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Rubble covers the furniture of a destroyed living room in a residential building hit in an earlier U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Rescue workers and first responders work at a residential building hit in an earlier U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel, early Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, Jalen Williams added 18 in his return to the lineup and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 12th game in a row Monday night with a 123-103 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
Jared McCain had 13 points for the Thunder in his first game in Philadelphia since last month’s trade. The defending NBA champions improved to 57-15, the best record in the league.
VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Philadelphia began the day as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament but was just a half-game back of fifth-place Toronto.
Williams was back in the lineup after missing 16 games with a right hamstring strain.
PACERS 128, MAGIC 126
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 37 points and blocked Paolo Banchero’s attempted layup in the final seconds to help Indiana end their franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a win over Orlando.
Banchero scored 39 points for the Magic, who have lost five straight.
Banchero drove to the basket with a chance to tie the game after Orlando won a jump ball with 6.4 seconds left. But 7-foot-1 Jay Huff and the 6-9 Siakam were under the basket, and Banchero could not get the shot over them.
Jarace Walker had 20 points for the Pacers, and Aaron Nemith added 19. Andrew Nembhard, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining for Indiana’s final points, finished with 13 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds.
PISTONS 113, LAKERS 110
DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 30 points, including six in the final 34 seconds, and Detroit ended Los Angeles' nine-game winning streak.
The Pistons overcame 32 points from Luka Doncic and 24 from Austin Reaves to win their fourth straight and seventh in eight games. Jalen Duren added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Doncic was cleared to play Sunday after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers a one-game suspension.
LeBron James went scoreless in the first half, but finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
SPURS 136, HEAT 111
MIAMI (AP) — MIAMI (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points as San Antonio beat Miami Heat for their sixth straight win.
Wembanyama added 15 rebounds and five blocks for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson scored 21 points while adding six rebounds. Dylan Harper went 9 of 14 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 21 points.
Norman Powell led the Heat with 21 points. Tyler Herro had 18 points.
HAWKS 146, GRIZZLIES 107
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed Memphis.
Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.
Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.
GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.
BULLS 132, ROCKETS 124
CHICAGO (AP) — Matas Buzelis’ layup in the final seconds put Chicago ahead to stay and Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 25 points as Chicago beat Houston Rockets.
Houston’s loss, combined with San Antonio’s 136-111 win over Miami, allowed the Spurs (54-18) to clinch the Southwest Division.
The Bulls (29-42) led by as many as 22 points after scoring a season-high 41 points in the first quarter. But, Chicago trailed by four points late and needed Buzelis’ basket with 10.2 seconds remaining to move ahead to stay and post their first win over Houston in the teams’ last five games.
Kevin Durant fueled the Rockets’ (43-28) comeback by scoring 15 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth quarter. Durant was 15 of 23 from the field, marking the ninth straight game he shot 50% or better, which is the third-longest streak of his career.
RAPTORS 143, JAZZ 127
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 27 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 23 and Toronto defeated Utah.
Ja’Kobe Walter had 21 points and Scottie Barnes finished with 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Raptors (40-31) stopped a two-game skid. They remained a half-game ahead of Atlanta for fifth place in the Eastern Conference — the top six teams are assured a playoff berth without needing to qualify via the play-in tournament.
Utah rookie Ace Bailey had 37 points and Brice Sensabaugh scored 24 off the bench for the Jazz (21-51), who have lost six of seven and are eliminated from playoff contention.
WARRIOIRS 137, MAVERICKS 131, OT
DALLAS (AP) — Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as Golden State beat Dallas, extending the Mavericks’ home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.
Moody had just stolen the ball from Mavericks rookie standout Cooper Flagg near midcourt and was all alone at the basket when his left leg buckled as he went up for the shot. He lost the ball and went to the floor holding his knee with 58 seconds remaining in the extra period.
Play continued at the Dallas end until the ball went out of bounds. After the whistle, Warriors coach Steve Kerr put his hands to his face as the Mavericks’ home arena went silent. Players and medical staff surrounded Moody, who stayed down for several minutes before being taken off in a cart.
Moody was playing for the first time after missing 10 games with a sprained right wrist. He was one of eight scorers in double figures for the Warriors, with Kristaps Porzingis getting 23 points and Brandin Podziemski 20.
Flagg had 30 points and nine assists but also finished with seven turnovers, including three in an 11-0 Golden State run that broke a tie at the start the fourth quarter. Daniel Gafford scored 20.
TRAIL BLAZERS 134, NETS 99
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Toumani Camara had career highs of nine 3-pointers and 35 points to help Portland beat Brooklyn, the Trail Blazers’ largest margin of victory this season.
The Nets have lost eight straight and 18 of the last 20. Brooklyn (17-55) is a game behind Indiana (16-56) and a half-game behind Washington (16-55) for the best draft lottery odds.
Camara made 10 of 12 shots from the field. Deni Avdija scored 18 points and Scoot Henderson had 13 points, five assists and four steals for the Trail Blazers. Donovan Clingan finished with 15 rebounds, seven points and seven blocks.
Camara, who was featured on commemorative glassware as part of a Trail Blazers’ giveaway, banked in his first 3-pointer off the glass and hit his first eight 3-point shots, going 9 for 11 from distance.
Tyson Etienne led the Nets with 18 points, Ziaire Williams added 16 and Josh Minott 15.
CLIPPERS 129, BUCKS 96
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in 25 minutes and Los Angeles pummeled Milwaukee.
Brook Lopez added 19 points, Darius Garland had 15 points and six assists, and the Clippers won consecutive games following four straight losses. They made all 18 of their free throws and got back to .500 with 10 games remaining in the regular season after having a 6-21 record on Dec. 18.
Gary Trent Jr. paced the Bucks with 20 points off the bench. Ryan Rollins led their starters with 13, and Milwaukee had five players in double figures. The Bucks have lost 10 of their past 14 games, including three of four since sitting superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a left knee injury.
Oklahoma City Thunder's Alex Caruso, left, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Cameron Payne during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 23, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
