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.
The Pakistani government has once again found itself embarrassed on the world stage, now acknowledging the impact of India's strategic and precision strikes on its military installation during the escalation in May, following Operation Sindoor, which came in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
If the oil infrastructure is attacked by the United States, the whole area could be flooded with oil, spilling into the Persian Gulf.
The US-Israeli military campaign, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by Washington, has entered its third day, with US President Donald Trump stating that operations would continue "until all of our objectives are achieved."
Iran has fired 280 ballistic missiles at Israel since early Friday in retaliation to Israeli strikes on its nuclear programme, its military and political officials, and nuclear scientists.
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, a significant step towards bolstering the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. The decision comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India.
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.
'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, authorities in Delhi are taking precautionary measures, including installing air raid sirens, conducting mock drills, and deploying civil defence personnel. Security has been beefed up at vital installations and areas with high footfall, while the government has barred its employees from going on leave.
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?
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani-led group's Haifa port in Israel was unharmed by the Iranian ballistic missile attack, with cargo operations progressing unhampered, sources said. Late on Saturday night, Iran targeted Israel's Haifa port and a nearby oil refinery in response to Tel Avi's attack on Iranian nuclear and other targets earlier this week.
'Some success has been achieved in raising the costs of terrorism for Pakistan.'
Nature stands frozen as a cold wave grips villages and hilly areas of Anantnag, with temperatures dipping below zero.
The Indian Army in the intervening night of May 8 and May 9 successfully repelled and responded to multiple drone attacks by Pakistan along the western border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, Israel's foreign ministry said on Thursday that Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in the southern part of Israel has suffered a direct hit in a missile attack.
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.
In 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a multi-domain combat mission against Pakistan in response to cross-border terrorism. The operation involved precision strikes, military retaliation, and diplomatic measures, marking a significant shift in India's security policy.
US President Donald Trump repeated his claim at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan, a claim India has consistently denied.
Glimpses of life in Israel and Iran amid war.
The Indian Air Force's Republic Day flypast will feature a 'Sindoor' formation of combat jets, symbolizing its dominance during recent hostilities. The flypast will also commemorate Operation Sindoor.
Trump's outburst comes amid escalating tensions between the US and its northern neighbour, following recent remarks by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
The strikes were concentrated in an area in Pakistan's Balochistan where "one of the largest headquarters" of Jaish al-Adl was located, the report said.
On Tuesday night, Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq to 'avenge the killing' of General Qasem Soleimani.
Biden made the remarks after an 'emergency meeting' convened by Biden of North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and G7 leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
India and the UK have announced a series of defence cooperation initiatives, including a USD 468 million deal for the supply of lightweight multirole missile systems to enhance India's air defence capabilities.
The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' was the overriding theme of the ceremonial event held at the Vijay Chowk and presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, who arrived at the venue in a traditional buggy to the sound of bugles, adding a ceremonial grace to the occasion.
Israeli strikes at multiple targets in Iran; Tehran strikes back at Tel Aviv.
Pakistan has backed China's claim that Beijing played a role in defusing tension with India during Operation Sindoor, calling it 'diplomacy for peace' that was part of international efforts.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 60 times that he "helped settle" the tensions between the two neighbours.
Iranian state television on Wednesday claimed that at least 80 "American terrorists" were killed after Teheran launched 15 missiles on US targets in Iraq.
The Navy would be using the missiles for equipping its Veer-class warships while the Indian Air Force would be using them to equip its Russian-origin Su-30 MKI fighter jet fleet, the sources said.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 70 times that he ended the conflict between India and Pakistan.
A major escalation unfolded in West Asia on Monday after Iran reportedly launched multiple missiles targeting United States military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- the largest US military installation in the region, according to a CNN report.
If Xi Jinping can establish control over the PLA Ground Force, relations between India and China will settle down to an even keel. The next few weeks will show whether Xi has finally succeeded in gaining control over the PLA Ground Force. That could bring about the substantive shift in India-China relations that both our leaders have been working for, observes Ambassador Prabhat Shukla.
The deadly attack on the Uri garrison on September 18 nine years ago marked the end of India's policy against crossing the Line of Control to target Pakistan-based terrorists. It paved the way for the Balakot Air Strikes in 2019 and Operation Sindoor.
The missile hit a plantation in Margaliot, a moshav (collective agricultural community), in the Galilee region in the north of Israel around 11 am on Monday, Zaki Heller, spokesperson for rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA), told PTI.
Claiming yet again that he solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump has said that 'no one in history is more deserving than him' of the Nobel Peace Prize, as he criticised former President Barack Obama for getting the honour even though he 'didn't do anything'.
Russia, being bogged down by the Ukraine war and prioritising the requirements of its own armed forces, along with India's consistent diversification policy, will remain a major challenge to the bilateral partnership, note Harsh V Pant and Aleksei Zakharov.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances