Trump also called upon China, France, and Japan, among others, to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has not closed the Strait. It remains open; however, due to current conditions and circumstances, ships are unable to pass through the Hormuz. Otherwise, Iran never wanted the Strait to be closed or blocked, the supreme leader's representative said.
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.
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.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared the commencement of its 27th offensive under Operation True Promise 4, targeting American and Israeli positions in response to what it termed a new wave of 'unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic', Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.
Rahul Gandhi appeared before an MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to record his statement in a defamation case related to his 2018 remarks against Amit Shah. The case, filed by a BJP leader, alleges derogatory remarks made during the Karnataka elections.
This threat comes as the assembly of experts in Iran has reportedly reached a majority consensus regarding the successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Tehran-based Mehr News Agency (MNA).
'It is too early to conclude that there will be a bloodbath, that there will be no jobs, and that there will be civil unrest.' 'Let's calm down.' 'AI is a tool, it is not a weapon, it is not a virus.'
Police and security forces in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, demolished 44 memorials built by Maoists to instill fear, marking a significant step in combating Naxalite influence in the region.
The UN Security Council, with India's support, has adopted a resolution condemning Iran's attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan, demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and denouncing threats to the Strait of Hormuz.
Once operational, Ghatak could undertake deep-strike missions, penetrating heavily defended airspace to hit high-value targets without placing pilots at risk.
Senior CPI(M) leaders address online attacks against Malayalam actor Mammootty after his visit to a Wayanad township for landslide survivors, following reports of his displeasure with a local party leader's presence.
Pakistan declared an 'open war' with Afghanistan following airstrikes targeting Taliban fighters in response to alleged cross-border attacks. The situation has drawn international concern, with calls for de-escalation and diplomatic resolution.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly apologised to Malayalam actor Mammootty for online abuse following a controversy related to a visit to a Wayanad township.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation, alleging manipulation of voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. She also questioned the abrupt resignation of Governor C V Ananda Bose and accused the BJP of anti-women policies and spreading misinformation.
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.
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.
Pakistan launched a retaliatory operation, 'Ghazab lil Haq,' against the Afghan Taliban following alleged border attacks, resulting in reported casualties and destruction of Taliban infrastructure.
Unidentified men held a jeweller's family hostage at gunpoint in Gurdaspur, Punjab, and stole cash and jewellery worth approximately Rs 3 crore, prompting criticism of the state's law and order situation.
Jay Pawar, son of the late Ajit Pawar, is seeking a thorough investigation into the plane crash that killed his father, citing possible serious lapses and demanding a ban on the aviation company involved.
A man in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to two vehicles belonging to a government official, reportedly due to his anger over his girlfriend's employment as a cook at the official's residence.
Amid rising tensions, Israel's Defence Minister has issued a stark warning that any leader succeeding Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be considered a target, as reports suggest his son Mojtaba may be next in line.
Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese acquitted Dileep of the offences charged against him in the case after the trial that lasted around eight years.
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.
The Congress-led UDF in Kerala has criticised the ruling LDF over the Sabarimala gold loss cases, the issue of women's entry to the shrine, and the state's health sector, where government doctors and private nurses are striking over wages.
Police in Odisha's Koraput district seized hashish oil worth approximately 225 crore from a forest manufacturing unit. Over 1,800 litres of hashish oil were recovered, and equipment was confiscated. In a separate operation, 1,143 kg of ganja worth 5 crore was seized, leading to four arrests.
The SCALP missiles were launched by the Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets along with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to take out the terrorist headquarters in Muridke and Bahawalpur districts of Pakistan.
'India was not obliged to protect the Iranian ship.' 'Once the Iranian ship left Indian waters, she was on her own.' 'Guilt tripping India is wrong.'
'No civilian deserves to live in fear. No civilian deserves to be caught up in a war which is destabilising the entire region.'
A Russian intelligence agency has claimed that the UK and France are covertly planning to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine, alleging a violation of international law.
'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.
'Torpedoes travel at more than 100 kilometres per hour, about 50-60 knots.' 'It must have been a matter of a few minutes before it detonated under the Iranian ship.' 'The Iranian ship would have probably got three, four minutes and wouldn't have known till they actually heard the whirr of the torpedo.'
The Congress party in Kerala has strongly condemned the heckling of its MLA, T Siddique, during the inauguration of a government township project in Wayanad, alleging a conspiracy by the CPI(M). The party claims that hired individuals disrupted the event, and criticizes the Chief Minister's silence during the incident.
Amidst rising tensions in the Middle East, an Iranian drone struck a British RAF base in Cyprus, prompting the UK to allow US defensive operations and consider evacuation plans for British citizens in the region.
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.
Shimron Hetmyer's explosive innings propelled the West Indies to a dominant victory over Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup, with the batsman attributing his success to simplified thinking and letting his bat do the talking.
The Malankara Orthodox Church opposes the Kerala government's decision to extend bar timings, fearing it will negatively impact the youth. The government defends the decision as a tourism-boosting measure already in place in tourist areas.
A Thane court has sentenced a Sri Lankan national to rigorous imprisonment for illegally staying in India and ordered his deportation after the sentence.
'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.'
'Strikes into the Gulf countries are proof that the security guarantees offered by the US are ineffective and that the Gulf countries cannot rely on American security assurances for their safety.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances