INTERNATIONAL

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it has carried out a missile strike targeting the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in West Asia. The strike, according to Iranian officials, was a direct response to what they described as a U.S. attack on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities. The IRGC said the operation—named "Basharat al-Fath"—was approved by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and executed under the leadership of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command. "The era of hit and run is over," the IRGC stated, warning that any future aggression would face severe consequences. The statement concluded with a caution that continued hostilities could result in the collapse of U.S. military infrastructure in the region and have s...

As Iranian missile barrages continue to batter key Israeli military installations, Israeli officials are reportedly seeking a swift end to the escalating confrontation. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by multiple diplomatic sources, Israel has begun quietly reaching out through Arab intermediaries and Western partners, in hopes of averting a full-scale regional war that could spiral out of control. The outreach includes indirect communications to Tehran via countries like Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The United States is also playing a central role in facilitating dialogue, with special envoy Steve Witkoff holding behind-the-scenes consultations with Iranian and European officials. France, Germany, and the UK have also initiated discu...

Amid widening regional escalation, a senior Iranian lawmaker has confirmed that Iran’s Parliament has formally recommended the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with the final decision now lying with the country’s Supreme National Security Council. Major General Esmail Kowsari, an influential member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission, said the chamber has "reached the conclusion" that shutting down the strategic waterway is now a necessary option in response to Israeli strikes and continued Western support for Tel Aviv. "The decision, however, rests with the Supreme National Security Council," Kowsari clarified, signaling that the measure—long treated as a last-resort deterrent—is now being seriously weighed at the highest levels. This comes just days after Is...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, expressing serious concern over the rapidly worsening situation in West Asia following the U.S. airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory missile attacks. In a statement shared on social media, Modi said, “Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability.” The phone call between the two leaders comes amid growing fears of a wider conflict following a dangerous military exchange between the United States and Iran. Modi emphasized Indi...

In a grave escalation that has drawn international condemnation, the United States has joined Israel in launching airstrikes on Iran. The strikes, confirmed by former US President Donald Trump, mark Washington’s first direct military assault on Iranian territory in the ongoing hostilities, raising alarms about a wider war in West Asia. UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a strong condemnation of the US action, calling it "a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security." Guterres warned that the conflict could spiral out of control with "catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world," and urged all countries to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter. "There is no military solution...

Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, a former Israeli minister has stirred controversy by suggesting that Pakistan may be the next target. Meir Masri, a former Deputy Defense Minister and senior member of Israel’s Labor Party, made the provocative statement on social media, sparking concern and debate in Pakistan's political circles. Masri wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that after targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israel could also move to dismantle Pakistan’s nuclear program. "We have reached Iran, and Pakistan is not far," he posted. Though no longer holding an official position in the Israeli government, Masri remains influential in Israeli political circles. His remarks come as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies. Israel began airstrikes on Iran on June 13, cl...

After being prematurely declared dead by Israeli officials following a targeted missile strike on his residence, Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has emerged alive—injured but defiant. Shamkhani, who served as the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council for nearly a decade, was critically wounded in the early hours of June 13 when an Israeli strike reportedly targeted high-level figures in Tehran. Reports  from Israeli media, carried by major Western news outlets, claimed he had been killed. They claimed that he was killed in a pre-dawn missile strike on June 13 that targeted a residential area in Tehran. His name appeared prominently among the so-called “high-value targets” reportedly eliminated in what Israeli ...

The Weizmann Institute of Science has reported an estimated 2 billion shekels (approximately \$570 million) in damages following a missile strike on its Rehovot campus on Sunday, making it one of the most significant attacks on a scientific institution in Israel’s history, Israeli website Calcalist reported. Three primary research buildings were completely destroyed, while several others sustained partial damage. The financial estimate covers only the physical infrastructure and excludes the immense scientific losses — including rare biological samples, sensitive research materials, and years of experimental data. Among the destroyed facilities were life sciences buildings focused on cancer research and a major center for environmental sciences. A senior institute official noted that...

Just hours after a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday once again asserted that he played a key role in preventing a war between India and Pakistan, Press Trust of India. Speaking to reporters at the White House, where he hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir for lunch, Trump said, “Well, I stopped the war… I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We’re going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.” When asked what diplomatic goals he hoped to achieve through his meeting with General Munir, Trump said, “This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side,” referring to Munir. “Modi, from the Indian side,...

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most revered Shia cleric in Iraq, has called on international actors and world governments to act swiftly and decisively to halt the escalating war in the region. In a strongly worded appeal, Sistani emphasized that the continuation of hostilities could have disastrous consequences not only for the Middle East but for global stability. “I call on international actors and the countries of the world to do their utmost to stop the war,” Sistani said, warning of the grave risks posed by deepening conflict and the potential for wider regional destabilization. Sistani also issued a pointed warning against any harm to political or religious leaders in Iran, stressing that such actions would have "serious consequences for the entire region." His rema...