Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened,' says Iran's Consul-General Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed that the United States and his administration have achieved nearly total dominance over Iranian airspace following a series of coordinated military strikes.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team to the White House on Thursday as he boasted about the United States' ongoing operation in Iran.
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.
Trump may strike. He may announce productive talks and extend again. He may do both at the same time. Iran will not open the Strait on someone else's terms, so no matter what happens, that problem will remain unsolved. And the IRGC will still be collecting its $2 million toll from every ship bold enough to ask permission to pass.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Seven people have been apprehended in connection with the death of a 26-year-old man following a clash between two families in Delhi's Uttam Nagar during Holi celebrations.
'TTP has vowed to take revenge for the attacks that Pakistan is carrying out against Afghanistan.' 'To diminish this threat, Pakistan is hitting Afghanistan hard.'
'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.'
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
Seven people have been apprehended in connection with the death of a 26-year-old man following a clash between two families in Delhi's Uttam Nagar during Holi celebrations.
The human cost of rat-hole mining falls disproportionately on migrant labourers.
Sensex and Nifty post steepest weekly loss in over a year, falling nearly 3 per cent.
Odisha FC and Chennaiyin FC played to a 1-1 draw in their Indian Super League match at the Kalinga Stadium. Carlos Delgado's second-half header secured the point for Odisha after Elsinho had given Chennaiyin the lead.
US-Israel air attacks intensified on the seventh day of war, striking Tehran and other Iranian cities.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
India name six uncapped players in 26-member squad for AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, targeting quarterfinals and World Cup qualification.
'Much will depend on the position of the United States.' 'It will have to be seen to what extent the US will be more interested in achieving some form of a deal and to what extent Israel will be allowed to continue to carry out both airstrikes and the killing of Iranian officials.'
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Trump claims the United States is performing exceptionally well in its ongoing conflict with Iran, citing weakened Iranian military capabilities and a strong US position.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Tensions flared in Delhi's Uttam Nagar after a man died following a clash during Holi celebrations, leading to protests and traffic disruptions.
'Don't let the world put you in a box. If the world tries to put you in a box, don't stay in it. Step out of it. And if you have to, burn that box completely,' says Siddhata Patil.
Boong wins a BAFTA, and India can't stay calm!
'This move acknowledges that unresolved internal borders can be just as disruptive as external ones.'
Qatar has halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after its facilities came under attack amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and squeezing feedstock availability for key domestic sectors.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Jammu and Kashmir's historic Ranji Trophy win showcases a remarkable transformation in Indian cricket, fueled by Delhi's cricketing influence and strategic leadership.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the air ambulance crash in Jharkhand's Chatra district that killed all seven people on board. Two teams from the DGCA are probing the accident, while families mourn the loss of their loved ones.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
United States President Donald Trump has said that Iran is under close watch and a 'massive fleet' is heading towards the Gulf region.
Moroccan striker Alaaeddine Ajaraie struck a brilliant hat-trick as NorthEast United FC demolished Mohammedan Sporting 6-0 to enter the Kalinga Super Cup quarter-finals.
A parliamentary committee has criticized Indian Railways for slow train speeds, discrepancies in 'superfast' fares and inadequate punctuality standards.
The threat of wars hovers over the negotiations in Oman, but the good part is that Trump called the talks to be 'very good' and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that they 'constitute a step forward', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has vowed to take strict action against illegal immigrants who have obtained fake birth certificates, as well as the agents and officials who assisted them. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has already cancelled 237 fake birth certificates and is working to recover the original documents.
In the Indo-Pacific's new era -- where perception shapes reality faster than treaties -- the real entrapment is not of China or the United States. It is the test Japan has set for itself -- and whether partners like India, acting as balancers rather than accelerants, can help ensure that the story ends in stability, points out Varun Arya.
Customs regimes can lead to labyrinthine legal disputes. Budget 2026 must recognise that an excessively defensive Customs posture can itself become a trade barrier, point out Mukesh Butani and Shankey Agrawal.
