The briefing for Monday, June 1.

The United States bombed radar and drone sites in Iran over the weekend after Tehran shot down an American drone, marking the latest escalation in a conflict that began in late February. Iran's Revolutionary Guard responded by launching missiles at Kuwait, where US military facilities are located, according to US Central Command and Iranian state media. Kuwait reported intercepting incoming drone and missile fire early Monday morning.

New satellite analysis by BBC Verify reveals Iran has damaged at least 20 US military sites across eight Middle East countries since the war began, causing millions in losses to air defense systems, refueling aircraft, and other equipment. The damage includes three advanced THAAD anti-missile batteries worth roughly $1 billion each, and extensive hits to Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia. A Pentagon estimate put total Operation Epic Fury costs at $29 billion, much of it for equipment repair or replacement.

The attacks come as both countries attempt to negotiate an end to the war, though it remains unclear how close they are to a deal. President Trump met with advisers Friday but has not decided whether to proceed with a proposed 60-day ceasefire extension. Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and gas once passed, driving up fuel prices worldwide with far-reaching economic consequences.

Israeli troops seized the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon on Sunday, marking the deepest Israeli advance into the country in 26 years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the capture a "decisive shift" in operations against Hezbollah, as ground forces push beyond the Litani River demarcation line established in previous agreements. Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops raised an Israeli flag over the 900-year-old Crusader fortress.

The UK, France, and Germany condemned Israel's expanding ground offensive, which has prompted new evacuation orders for Lebanese residents south of the Zahrani River. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the escalation "unacceptable" and requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting, while UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the military operations have "killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy." Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of pursuing a "scorched-earth policy and collective punishment."

Netanyahu also ordered strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, targeting what he described as "terrorist targets" in the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahieh. At least 3,371 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began on March 2, according to Lebanon's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The fighting continues despite a nominal ceasefire announced in April that has failed to end hostilities.

A federal judge in Washington declined to halt President Trump's executive order that would create a federal voter list and limit mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes to election administration ahead of this year's midterm elections. US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, ruled late Wednesday that it was too early to issue a restraining order because the administration has not yet implemented the directive.

The March executive order would have the federal government create a list of eligible voters and direct the US Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to those on the list. Democrats and civil rights groups had argued the order is likely unconstitutional because states and Congress, not the president, have authority to set election rules. Nichols agreed with the administration's position but left the door open for future challenges once implementation begins.

Election officials have warned the proposal could cause chaos and is ripe for abuse. The legal battle now shifts to Boston, where voting rights groups have filed a separate lawsuit in federal court. Trump has groundlessly claimed mail voting is rife with widespread fraud since his 2020 loss, despite repeated audits and investigations—including Republican-led ones—finding no evidence of systemic problems. No voting changes are expected during primary elections, which continue into next month.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Thursday in favor of Terry Pitchford, a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims racial bias affected his jury selection. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority that "things broke down" in Pitchford's trial, which featured 11 white jurors and one Black juror. Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's three liberal justices joined Kavanaugh's opinion, while Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented.

Pitchford was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in killing a grocery store owner when he was 18. The case centered on whether his lawyers adequately objected to trial judge rulings and whether Mississippi's Supreme Court acted reasonably in finding they had not. Prosecutor Doug Evans, now retired, had a documented history of dismissing Black jurors for discriminatory reasons and excused four other Black people from Pitchford's jury.

The ruling has similarities to the 2019 case of Curtis Flowers, another Black Mississippi death row inmate whose conviction the Supreme Court overturned due to what Kavanaugh called a "relentless, determined effort to rid the jury of Black individuals." Evans prosecuted that case as well, and the same judge presided over multiple trials. The Supreme Court's 1986 Batson v. Kentucky decision established that jurors cannot be excused because of their race, setting up a system for trial judges to evaluate discrimination claims.

Businesses have started receiving refunds of tariffs the Supreme Court ruled were unconstitutionally imposed by President Trump, but the process may halt after the administration said Friday it intends to appeal a federal judge's order allowing all companies to seek refunds. The Justice Department told Judge Richard K. Eaton it believes he exceeded his authority by determining that "all importers of record" are entitled to refunds, not just those who filed lawsuits.

US Customs and Border Protection reported that as of May 22, it had accepted applications for refunds totaling $85 billion—more than half of the $166 billion the government owes companies that paid the invalidated "reciprocal" tariffs on imports. The agency said it has directed the Treasury Department to issue $20.6 billion in refunds so far, with payments reaching some businesses' bank accounts on May 12.

An appeal could affect importers whose merchandise was in the US for 314 days or more before official duty determinations were issued, though the exact number of businesses that might lose refund eligibility is unclear. More than 1,000 companies filed lawsuits in trade court to recoup tariff costs. Judge Eaton has scheduled a June 9 hearing and demanded CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott appear to explain how long it would take to repay all 330,000 potentially eligible importers.

Inflation accelerated to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department reported Thursday, up from 3.5% in March and marking the highest level since May 2023. The surge was driven primarily by gasoline prices, which have risen more than 50% since US and Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February, though groceries, clothing, and electricity costs also increased. Monthly prices rose 0.4%, down from March's 0.7% jump but still above Federal Reserve targets.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose to 3.3% in April from 3.2% the previous month—the highest reading since October 2023. The report showed Americans' after-tax, inflation-adjusted incomes fell for the third straight month, while spending adjusted for inflation barely rose. The persistence of higher prices well above the Fed's 2% target means policymakers may forego interest rate cuts this year, with some officials signaling their next move could be a rate hike rather than a cut.

The inflation surge comes five months before midterm elections and creates political challenges for President Trump and congressional Republicans. Trump has downplayed concerns about rising gas prices, calling increases "peanuts" and saying he doesn't consider Americans' personal finances "even a little bit" when weighing options on the Iran war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called higher prices "transitory," reviving a term former Fed Chair Jerome Powell used to describe the 2021-22 inflation spike that became a major political issue.