Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
A legend that sprang up after the Turkman Gate killing is that when the shrine is disturbed, the government will fall, as it happened with the Indira Gandhi government.
'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.
Political parties in West Bengal, including the ruling TMC and opposition BJP, have condemned the organizers of an event featuring Lionel Messi in Kolkata after it descended into chaos due to spectators' inability to properly view the football star. Demands for action and accountability have been made.
The voting for the 13th parliamentary elections was held along with a referendum on a complex 84-point reform package.
Members of the terror module under scanner for the deadly blast near the Red Fort, relied on an unusual yet effective method of communication to avoid detection -- through unsent emails kept as drafts.
The NSG calendar, created by Photographers Pravin Talan and Rupali Talan, presents a curated visual record of the NSG's operational capabilities across land, air and water, offering a rare glimpse into the force's evolving role and preparedness.The 10th edition of the calendar was released online on Friday by the Director General of the National Security Guard, marking a decade of the visual project's journey since its launch in 2016.
Trump on Wednesday said he offered 'arbitration or mediation' on the Kashmir issue to the leadership of India and Pakistan during his meetings with Modi and Khan and the two nuclear-armed neighbours have to 'just work it out'.
'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.
Hindus will offer prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami while Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm on Friday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that progress has been made in the Geneva talks with Iranian authorities, but the two nations stand 'far apart' on certain issues.
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.
Protesters were seen thronging the main junctions in south Mumbai, causing traffic snarls during the morning peak hours.
'The elimination of terrorists does not imply the neutralisation of terrorism. That terrorist ecosystem continues to thrive in Kashmir.'
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.
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.
The accused, identified as Dr Bilal Naseer Malla, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla, was nabbed by an NIA team from Delhi.
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
Security has been increased across four districts in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly division for Dussehra, with internet services suspended in Bareilly district for 48 hours to prevent the spread of rumors and maintain public order.
Protesters took out torchlight processions overnight, burnt a government building and clashed with security forces, defying prohibitory orders as Manipur continued to witness demonstrations over the arrests of a Meitei organisation leader and four others, police said on Monday.
'Tourists from long-haul markets such as the US, UK, and Western Europe are especially sensitive to such news, and short-term cancellations or postponements of planned trips can be expected.'
The Indian military will showcase an Operation Sindoor-themed tableau for the Republic Day parade, highlighting the jointness of the three services and India's military capabilities.
Two primary suspects in the murder of Inquilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi have fled Bangladesh and are believed to be in India, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police. The suspects allegedly crossed into Meghalaya with assistance. Bangladesh is working with Indian authorities for their arrest and extradition.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday arrested a member of the Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol at Imphal airport.
Amir Rashid Ali, a key accused in the Red Fort area car bomb blast case, has been remanded in 10 days' NIA custody. The agency seeks to unravel the conspiracy behind the inter-state "white collar" terror module.
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the importance of indigenous equipment for the Indian Army, highlighting the force's modernization efforts and readiness for future warfare.
Officials reveal details of a foiled Jaish-e-Mohammed terror plot involving a doctor who planned a bomb blast near the Red Fort, timed around the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary. Arrests and investigations uncovered the interstate network.
'PoK will be ours on its own. Demands have started being made in PoK, you must have heard sloganeering'
Holi and Friday prayers passed peacefully in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh amid tight security, officials said.
Three Naxalites, including a woman, carrying a reward of Rs 12 lakh, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. The encounter took place in Gondiguda, and a large cache of arms and explosives were recovered.
While many areas compete for resources, defence, education, and adaptation deserve focus for maximum impact, suggests Laveesh Bhandari.
'Should China's interest in the Teesta River projects be approved, it would likely result in heightened Chinese presence near the Siliguri corridor.'
Amid freezing temperatures and treacherous terrains, the Indian Army has intensified its counter-terrorism operations across Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu and Kashmir to pursue and neutralise Pakistani terrorists attempting to exploit the harsh winter for concealment, sources said on Saturday.
'In India's competitive automotive market, staying relevant means continuously raising the bar.'
Sporadic violence erupts across Bangladesh as the nation awaits a special tribunal verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a case of alleged crimes against humanity. Security is heightened, and authorities are on high alert.
World champion D Gukesh finally managed to beat the legendary Viswanathan Anand when it mattered the most to help PBG Alaskan Knights finish third.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Anmol Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, after his deportation from the US. He is wanted in connection with several high-profile crimes.
'The RSS, that advocated military strength, remained in the ideological doghouse for over half a century. Many of the RSS' responses even today carry the burden of this past,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'Some success has been achieved in raising the costs of terrorism for Pakistan.'
The police suspect the recces were part of a larger conspiracy to target the historic monument on January 26, which might have failed due to intense patrolling in the area at the time.
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