A new analysis by the Institute for the Study of War has warned that Iran could escalate its attacks on Israel by launching large missile salvos aimed at maximising psychological pressure on civilians.
Two former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges, official media reported.
The popularity of US President Donald Trump is waning with approval ratings at its lowest, according to former diplomat Mahesh Sachdev, who notes that with two-thirds of Americans not approving of a continuation of the war on Iran, Trump faces the risk of being impeached.
Hegseth said the military campaign, code-named Operation Epic Fury, against Iran is "laser focused" and "decisive," with objectives set directly by the US administration remaining unchanged since the start of operations.
If Iran and Oman choose to charge a fee for rendering services to vessels using their territorial waters, so be it. The US is indulging in an irrationally self-destructive act, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with Indian leaders to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia.
India's defence expenditure surged to $92.1 billion in 2025, making it the world's fifth-largest military spender, according to SIPRI data. This 8.9 per cent year-on-year rise was primarily driven by operational and procurement needs following heightened regional tensions with Pakistan in May 2025.
'Iran cannot trust the USA because it considers the USA to be Israel-controlled. And no, the IRGC is not going to accept anything else but major US concessions.'
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, a significant step towards bolstering the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. The decision comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India.
An 11-year-old boy's simple act of serving Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor has become an inspiring story. Shavan Singh voluntarily provided tea, water, and lassi to Army jawans deployed in his village along the Indo-Pak border, earning him national recognition and the title of 'Youngest Civilian Warrior'.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined key goals of the campaign, including degrading Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its defence industrial base, eliminating naval and air power, preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear capability, and protecting United States allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the UN Security Council, highlighting civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan caused by cross-border violence by Pakistani military forces, accusing Pakistan of 'heinous acts' and 'systematic genocide'.
The IRGC said the barrage targeted several US military facilities in the region, including bases at Sheikh Isa in Bahrain, Juffair in Bahrain, Ali al-Salem in Kuwait and Al Azraq in Jordan.
Former Central Command chief David H Petraeus suggests the US and Iran are likely to extend their ceasefire beyond the initial two-week period, citing willingness from both sides to continue negotiations.
The Israeli Air Force has destroyed an aircraft used by Iranian leadership at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, along with striking over 200 targets across western and central Iran, significantly impacting Iran's strategic capabilities.
Pakistan has deployed a military contingent, including soldiers and fighter jets, to Saudi Arabia as part of a joint strategic defence agreement aimed at enhancing military coordination and regional security.
Initial reports suggested that shrapnel caused significant damage to the structure; however, no direct missile impact was reported.
The Iranian military on Thursday issued a strongly worded response to remarks made by United States President Donald Trump, warning that the ongoing conflict will persist until Washington, DC faces what it described as 'permanent humiliation, regret, and surrender', as reported by Iranian state media Press TV.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
Donald Trump claims the US military decimated Iran's Navy and Air Force, hinting at regime change while Iran accuses the US and Israel of planning a ground invasion.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have conducted a massive military operation targeting more than 200 infrastructure sites within Iran and an additional 140 Hezbollah assets across Lebanon.
Earlier, another state media outlet showed a display of part of the IRGC's drone arsenal inside a large tunnel. Coinciding with the release of these visuals, the IRGC confirmed the launch of the 48th phase of its retaliatory campaign.
The Indian side would prefer to get S-500 air defence system which has more range than the S-400 but it would require a clearance from the top Russian leadership for its sale, they said.
Vayu Shakti-2026 showcased the Indian Air Force's readiness for combat operations in both day and night conditions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that recent missile attacks demonstrate Iran's capacity to strike globally, posing a threat to Europe and the rest of the world. He highlighted the need for international action to counter Iran's nuclear and missile programmes.
'India's security challenges are no longer confined to the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control.'
'They also span cyber networks, economic systems, information warfare, technology ecosystems, maritime routes, and internal social cohesion.'
Frankly, was it really necessary in the middle of a fratricidal war for External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to travel to Abu Dhabi for a one-on-one with the sheikh on April 12?Or, for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to follow up on April 26? Or, for PM Narendra Modi to follow through today? There are no easy answers, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Residents across the Gulf region, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar, experienced fear and disruption following attacks, leading to flight suspensions and heightened security measures.
The new supplies of the Igla-S air defence missiles have been received by the Indian Army a couple of weeks ago and are being provided to the forward formations for taking care of the threat from enemy fighter aircraft, choppers and drones on the borders.
A part of a missile fell near a village in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district during a routine defence training exercise at the Pokhran Field Firing Range. No casualties or damage were reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his address to the Federal Assembly (Russia's bicameral parliament) on Sunday, stated that Moscow had developed a small-sized nuclear power unit that could be used in a cruise missile to extend its range practically indefinitely.
The United Arab Emirates intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones, resulting in casualties and damage to infrastructure, including the Dubai airport and Burj Al Arab.
The Army on Monday showcased a demonstration of how Indian Air Defence systems, including AKASH missile system, L-70 Air Defence Guns, saved the Golden Temple in Amritsar and cities of Punjab from Pakistani missile and drone attacks.
16 days into the war, US forces were already running out of ground-attack missiles and Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by end March. To be sure, the Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that 'Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met', notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
US Vice President J D Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad for peace talks with Iran to end the seven-week war, amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing tensions.
Despite United States President Donald Trump claiming that negotiations with Iran are underway and the conflict could soon end, the Pentagon is expected to deploy troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East as the war enters its fourth week, according to a CBS News report.
The operation reportedly extended to American assets, with the IRGC claiming that "US military bases in the region, namely Ali al-Salem in Kuwait, as well as al-Minhad and al-Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, were also targeted."
Iran's state media cited the spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of Iran's military to claim that a United States military refuelling plane was shot down by a missile fired by resistance groups in western Iraq. The spokesperson further told Press TV that all six service members on board had been killed.
The IRGC had announced earlier that it was carrying out an intense wave of attacks on US and Israeli positons throughout the region since dawn, using missiles as well as drones.
For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
