Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
US President Donald Trump indicated the possibility of further military operations against Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil export hub, claiming previous strikes had significantly damaged its infrastructure.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.
Jack Draper stunned Novak Djokovic in a deciding-set tie-break while Carlos Alcaraz extended his winning streak to reach the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Open. Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina also advanced.
'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
The incident came shortly after a spokesperson from Iran's military warned that Tehran could target ports and docks in the United Arab Emirates following recent United States strikes on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran's oil exports.
Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.
In Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had deployed additional squadrons of the Chinese-origin HQ-9 air defence systems, which could not do much against the Indian aircraft when they brought down multiple terror targets inside Pakistan.
FIDE, the world chess governing body, has rejected calls to move the Candidates Tournament from Cyprus despite security concerns arising from regional conflicts. The tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28.
Government officials are reportedly apprehensive that the 30,000 to 40,000 US troops currently deployed within the region could serve as the primary target of the Islamic Republic in the event of an all-out war.
Rashid Khan fired a six-under 66 to take the lead in the Indorama Ventures Golf Championship, followed by Jhared Hack and a group of five golfers.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the BCCI cannot intervene as the signing is related to a foreign league and it is up to the franchise to take a call.
The 98th Academy Awards was a mix of high fashion, subdued politics, flashes of humour and emotions running high.
This is not the first time Priyanka Chopra Jonas has been part of the Oscars. The actor, along with husband Nick Jonas, had announced the nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards in 2021.
Israel wishes to continue its bombing campaign until Iran's military and industrial infrastructure are degraded to a point where it ceases to pose a threat to Israel. Iran, for its part, has learnt from its experience in the 12-day war of last June. Any ceasefire, it believes, will only be a prelude to another attack on itself. It is determined to convey that any attack on Iran will impose heavy costs on Israel, the US, America's allies in the Gulf -- and on the world at large, points out T T Ram Mohan.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
The FBI has increased the reward money to USD one million for information leading to the capture of fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list, which includes an Indian national wanted in a murder case and a cyber criminal involved in an ATM jackpotting scheme.
Brijesh Kumar and Jhared Hack emerged as joint leaders after the second day of the Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship in Ahmedabad, with both golfers displaying strong performances.
The White House has revised a fact sheet on the interim trade deal between the United States and India, removing the reference to "pulses" from the list of American products on which India would eliminate or reduce tariffs. The revised sheet also changed "committed" to "intends" regarding India's purchase of American products.
According to the report, the Pentagon is deploying the USS Tripoli ARG, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), part of its own strike group.
The modern war is about quality over quantity, points out Mihir S Sharma.
Referring to local sources, IRNA shared a video clip that it claims shows the downing of the American F-15 fighter jet in Kuwait.
By appearing to privilege ideological affinity over strategic balance, India risks eroding the trust painstakingly built across West Asia. Once the perception takes hold that India's friendship is conditional and transactional, rebuilding credibility will be difficult, warns Amberish K Diwanji.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
At least 101 people are missing and 78 are injured after a suspected submarine attack on an Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday, Reuters quoted sources in Sri Lanka's Navy and defence ministry as saying.
A United States missile strike has reportedly hit an educational facility in Khomeyn in central Iran, according to a report by Al Jazeera citing Iran's Mehr news agency. The site was identified as the Dr Hafez Khomeyni School.
As days turn into weeks and America loses more planes, as the destruction of trillions of dollars worth military assets piles up, and dead bodies of soldiers return in ever greater numbers in coffins, Trump will have to answer some very difficult questions to save his presidency, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia are set to compete at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a Signature Event of the 2026 PGA season, with top players like Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas also participating.
The Israeli military said the strike dismantled the bunker during ongoing operations against Iranian military infrastructure.
'Hard work is the key, whether it is in studies or in sport. Nobody is born with a golden spoon.'
Iran has launched a fresh wave of missile attacks against Israeli and United States-linked targets as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired some of its heaviest missiles in the latest phase of its retaliatory campaign, while Israel Defence Forces alleged that many of the projectiles carried cluster bomb warheads.
Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, stated that Israel is willing to cease hostilities if Iran changes its course, emphasising that Tel Aviv has consulted diplomatic channels, including the US and regional partners.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is urging the Indian government to take a more proactive role in mediating the escalating conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, emphasising the impact on India's energy security and regional stability.
'The entire US ecosystem built over decades at the bases in the Gulf region, especially the UAE, costing trillions of dollars have been decimated, dealing a mortal blow to the US Central Command's war capability,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the escalating situation in West Asia, emphasising the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in the region.
Alysa Liu, after a four-year break, returned to figure skating and won Olympic gold with a joyful performance, emphasizing human connection and overcoming online abuse faced by fellow American skaters.
Travel disruptions following airspace closures in the Gulf have forced Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev to miss an Indian Wells exhibition, while an ATP Challenger in Fujairah was cancelled amid security concerns.
Quoting assembly of experts member Mirbaqeri, the report stated that while a "majority consensus over Khamenei's successor has been reached," the transition process is not yet fully complete as "some obstacles regarding the process need to be resolved."
At the heart of this debate is Section 3(d) of the Patents Act, a safeguard designed to prevent drugmakers from extending monopoly protection through trivial modifications to existing medicines.
Benchmark indices tumbled about 2 per cent on Friday, capping one of the most turbulent weeks for domestic equities as investors fretted that the West Asian conflict could drag on for weeks or even months.
