Dimona and Ahad came under intense Iranian missile fire over the weekend as the conflict entered a far more volatile phase. These photographs capture the aftermath of the strikes -- thick smoke rising over the cities, emergency teams rushing to the scenes and residents caught in the chaos that followed.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
'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.'
'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.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
The Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in the Formula One 2026 calendar are likely to be cancelled due to escalating Middle East tensions, with a final decision expected soon.
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Pakistan's defence chief visited Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security and the mutual defence pact between the two nations, focusing on de-escalation strategies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced concern over reports of the targeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence and urged Russia and Ukraine to focus on diplomatic efforts to end hostilities.
According to officials, the Indian Navy has opened an investigation into whether the drone used to attack the vessel was launched from long range or from a nearby vessel.
The identities of the two Indian nationals killed in Monday's suspected Houthi drone attacks near the Abu Dhabi airport that sparked multiple explosions in the United Arab Emirates capital have been established, the Indian embassy said on Tuesday.
AI reduces the time taken to find a target and launch a strike. This has led to a major increase in the pace of the conflict, with one report mentioning nearly 900 strikes launched on Iranian targets in the first 12 hours of an operation.
The LPG squeeze on India's restaurant sector is the quotidian face of a deeper crisis.
Russia has shared intelligence with Iran that could help Tehran target American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the region, according to United States intelligence assessments cited by media reports, marking the first indication of Moscow's possible involvement in the ongoing conflict. Officials familiar with US intelligence findings said a significant portion of the shared information reportedly includes imagery from Russia's network of surveillance satellites.
With the Iran war escalating sharply and crisis deepening in the global energy market, India on Monday unveiled a coordinated plan to support exporters and shippers caught in the fallout.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to express Pakistan's support for the Kingdom amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, reaffirming their mutual defence pact and commitment to regional stability.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The foremost lesson for India today is to beef up its air defence to cater for multiple drone attacks. As seen in Operation Sindoor, we have come a long way, but there's room for getting better. We must develop a robust and almost impregnable air cover over ourselves, asserts IAF veteran Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
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.
Amid rising tensions, Iran threatens retaliation after the United States confirms sinking its warship, IRIS Dena, in international waters, escalating conflict in the region.
Iraq's participation in the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico that will decide two berths at this year's FIFA World Cup is in doubt because of the travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran.
Meanwhile, a precautionary blackout has been enforfced in the multiple areas amid the esclating tensions between India and Pakistan.
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.
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.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively pushing Trump to take the war to its bitter finish and 'erase' Iran's presence in the geopolitics of the region. Simply put, the two most powerful Sunni Arab oligarchies are on the same page as Israel. Such interference increases the risk of a breakdown in dialogue between the US and Iran, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
EaseMyTrip co-founder Rikant Pitti advises travelers to stay flexible and monitor airline updates due to airspace closures and route diversions following strikes on Iran.
'The US landed in this war without planning. The US felt that if they kill Ayatollah Khamenei the people of Iran will come out on the roads and do a regime change.' 'On the contrary, the US bombings on Iran has united the entire nation.'
'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.
Putin argued that European countries are putting forward demands related to the conflict that Russia cannot accept. He further accused Europe of obstructing initiatives by the United States and President Donald Trump to pursue a negotiated settlement.
The Israeli military said the strike dismantled the bunker during ongoing operations against Iranian military infrastructure.
'In such a scenario, Iran could proclaim itself victor, rebuild, re-enforce its diminished regional proxies to further destabilise neighbouring nations and take control of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.'
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, India voices strong concerns over the safety of its nationals and the potential disruption to energy supplies, urging dialogue and diplomacy for a swift resolution.
Araghchi remarked that US messaging currently echoes the Vietnam War-era "Five O'Clock Follies," suggesting a systematic misrepresentation of military progress.
Tensions escalated dramatically on March 5, 2026, as the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, triggering retaliatory explosions across Tehran, Sanandaj, and beyond.
A Pakistan minister refuted social media reports about the conclusion of the operation against Afghan Taliban, stating that the operation is continuing with full intensity.
'We are getting used to the constant alerts to take shelter, listening to sonic booms from jets flying above us, hearing news of neighbouring ports being targeted, and being the only ship in the terminal.'
Uncover the real life figures that inspired the characters in Dhurandhar The Revenge, from Pakistani politicians and notorious gangsters to infamous terrorists.
'Moments like this remind us how fragile life really is.'
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss the escalating tensions in West Asia, emphasising the safety of Indian nationals and the need for regional stability through dialogue and diplomacy.
The escalating conflict in West Asia widened on Monday as Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, following projectile fire from Lebanese territory into northern Israel. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said in a series of posts on X that it carried out targeted strikes against senior members of Hezbollah in the Beirut area in response to the projectile fire launched toward Israel, particularly toward the north of the country.
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