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.
Formula One has cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April due to escalating Middle East tensions, reducing the 2026 F1 calendar from 24 to 22 races.
A devastating airstrike on a Kabul drug rehabilitation centre has killed hundreds, escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan and prompting international calls for de-escalation and investigation.
'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.'
'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.'
Once operational, Ghatak could undertake deep-strike missions, penetrating heavily defended airspace to hit high-value targets without placing pilots at risk.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the country believes that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solutions to resolving disputes and that the continued escalation of the conflict serves no one's interests.
Israel initiated military action against Iran shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, capitalising on a fleeting opportunity and years of strategic preparation, according to Israel's ambassador to India.
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.
Yash's Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups has been postponed to June 4, due to the escalating Middle East conflict.
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.
'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.
Amid rising tensions, Iran threatens retaliation after the United States confirms sinking its warship, IRIS Dena, in international waters, escalating conflict in the region.
Specifically, military experts are assessing if the 'Octopus' interceptor anti-drone system, produced in the UK to support Ukraine in countering Russian threats, could be repurposed to strengthen British protections against Iran's Shahed drones.
United States President Donald Trump on Friday declared that there would be 'no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender' amid the escalating West Asia conflict, asserting that Tehran must capitulate before any diplomatic negotiations can proceed.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Dubai's core promise -- that it is an oasis untouched by regional storms -- has been tested in full public view. The coming months will show whether investors view the attacks as a short-lived disruption or a deeper signal of lasting risk, points out Asif Ullah Khan.
The Army is also looking at strengthening the existing Pinaka regiments and had recently placed orders for buying the area denial ammunition for these rocket regiments.
JeM commander Ilyas Kashmiri also said that the Pakistan Army and the jihadis have become one after 25 years of his outfit's struggle.
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."
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Nobody takes Pakistan seriously and therefore Pakistan's sudden mediating with almost immediate results of a ceasefire seems more contrived than real, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
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.
The foreign ministry's statement came amidst the reported visit of Foreign Minister Sun Weidong to Pakistan on a mediation mission.
India has issued an advisory for its citizens in Israel to exercise utmost caution and remain vigilant at all times, following a joint attack by Israel and the US against Iran.
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned the Indian charg d'affaires and lodged a strong protest against the Indian military strikes.
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.
Even as the benchmark and broader indices were down sharply on Monday due to escalating tensions in West Asia, the Nifty Defence index ended the session in the green.
Debris resembling parts of a missile was found in a field in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, while metal parts of unidentified objects were discovered at two locations in Bathinda, sparking panic among locals. The incidents come after India successfully thwarted Pakistan's attempts to target military installations with drones and missiles across the country.
Although extensive air attacks have been carried out to destroy most of Iran's defence capabilities, the latter's resilience and sustenance during the war clearly indicate that the US landing force would encounter severe resistance in the operation, explains Commodore Venugopal Vengalil (retd).
Tensions escalate at the UN Security Council as the US and Israel defend their military actions against Iran, while Iran condemns the strikes as war crimes, raising fears of a wider Middle East conflict.
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.
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.
Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation multiple domain experts told ANI.
India carried out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, after the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The Foreign Secretary said the actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible.
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 Iran-Israel War entered its 7th day on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
The development comes amidst officials of the foreign ministries from the two sides exchanged goodwill messages.
President Droupadi Murmu will fly in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand' at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station. She will also attend the IAF's mega firepower demonstration 'Vayu Shakti' at the Pokhran Field Firing Range.
The defence ministry is likely to take up the proposal by the Indian Air Force for approval at a defence acquisition council meeting planned to be held on October 23, sources said.
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