President Trump has been briefed on potential military actions against Iran, including strikes on infrastructure and control of the Strait of Hormuz, even as negotiations continue. He maintains economic pressure is the primary strategy, while legal questions arise over war powers.
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.
United States President Donald Trump warned Iran of potential strikes on its infrastructure, including bridges and electric power plants, saying the US military 'hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran'.
An Iranian tanker successfully bypassed the US Navy to deliver crude oil to the Asia-Pacific region, despite ongoing tensions and a US blockade.
China has denied any links to the Iranian cargo ship seized by the US in the Gulf, which allegedly contained chemical materials for manufacturing missiles. The denial follows allegations by former US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley, who claimed the ship was headed from China to Iran.
The United States Central Command confirmed that the USS Rafael Peralta intercepted an Iranian-flagged ship, enforcing a maritime blockade against Iran. The US military is prepared to resume major combat operations if ordered by the President.
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.
The military command clarified in a statement published on X that the aircraft were engaged in error during active combat operations on Sunday.
Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia following a series of strikes and counter-strikes, the United States Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday instructed its staff to shelter in place.
According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the base on Tuesday, describing the move as retaliation for Israeli strikes.
The US blockade on Iranian ports is aimed to curb Iranian energy exports, thereby crippling its economy to force Iran back to the negotiating table, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
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 Kuwaiti Defence Ministry said all crew members of the crashed aircraft ejected safely and were taken to a hospital for medical check-ups.
Iran has issued a defiant response to United States President Donald Trump's claims regarding the conclusion of hostilities, asserting that it alone will 'determine' the end of military actions against American and Israel targets.
The United States military killed a senior Al Qaeda-affiliated leader with direct links to the Islamic State ambush that targeted American soldiers in Syria in December in a strike carried out in the country's northwest region.
According to the Pentagon, the vessels were targeted as part of efforts to prevent the deployment of naval mines in the strategically vital passage through which a significant portion of global crude oil shipments transits.
Italy has denied the United States the use of the Sigonella military base for flights heading to West Asia, citing a lack of consultation and concerns over the nature of the flights. This decision reflects Italy's stance on avoiding escalation in the region, as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government emphasises its desire to stay out of war.
The Iranian military has asserted that its forces successfully targeted and downed a US A-10 aircraft, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
A French soldier was killed while several others were injured in an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed. Macron, in a post on X, confirmed that Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins lost his life in the attack.
The deployment could include infantry and armoured units, in addition to the 82nd Airborne Division, which is already stationed in the region.
Media reports based on intelligence sources say nearly half of Iran's missile launchers remain intact, while thousands of one-way attack drones are still part of its arsenal even after continuous strikes targeting military infrastructure over the past five weeks.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, along with partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria as a part of Operation Hawkeye Strike.
Iran's ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, has described India as a "reliable and compassionate" partner while asserting Tehran's territorial authority over the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing regional tensions.
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran claims to have inflicted heavy casualties on US forces in Dubai, a claim vehemently denied by the US Central Command, raising concerns about regional stability.
Israel initiated military action against Iran shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, capitalising on a fleeting opportunity and years of strategic preparation, according to Israel's ambassador to India.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged its citizens to immediately depart from several Middle Eastern countries, citing "serious safety risks."
India has firmly denied allegations that the US Navy is using its ports to launch attacks against Iran, reaffirming its commitment to strategic autonomy and non-alignment in international conflicts.
China has condemned the attack on an elementary school in Iran and pledged USD 200,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance.
Araghchi remarked that US messaging currently echoes the Vietnam War-era "Five O'Clock Follies," suggesting a systematic misrepresentation of military progress.
Top government sources in India have dismissed claims that the Indian Navy provided intelligence to the US regarding an Iranian frigate that was sunk by a US submarine.
Trump said he is unwilling to make a deal with Tehran at this stage despite indications the country wants negotiations.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Referring to local sources, IRNA shared a video clip that it claims shows the downing of the American F-15 fighter jet in Kuwait.
The United States used an array of weapons in the strikes conducted against Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury on Saturday -- which included artificial intelligence services from Anthropic, according to a report by Reuters.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
Trump also asserted that US forces had struck hundreds of targets across Iran, including facilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and air defence systems.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
The United States on Thursday launched a 'deadly' strike against the terror organisation Islamic State in Northwest Nigeria, President Donald Trump said.
Will rising tensions between US-Israel and Iran threaten crude oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz, putting India's fuel prices, imports, and economic stability at risk?
