Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Home Blog Page 26

PM Modi to Chair CCS Meet Tonight to Review Security Situation

File Photo : PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi, Mar 01 (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) tonight after returning to the national capital, official sources said.

Sources told news (NVI) that the Prime Minister is expected to arrive in New Delhi around 9:30 pm following his two-day tour, after which the high-level meeting will be convened.

The CCS meeting is likely to take stock of the prevailing security scenario and review developments linked to the situation in the Middle East and their possible implications at the national level, sources added. (NVI)

Khamenei killing: Educational Institutes in Kashmir shut down

Manoj Sinha

Srinagar, Mar 1 (NVI) : As protests erupted in Kashmir over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the government here ordered closure of all educational institutions in the Valley for next two days.

The order to shut down all schools, colleges and universities across the Kashmir Valley was issued as a precautionary measure in view of the prevailing situation.

Education Minister Sakina Itoo said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of students amid protests reported from various parts of the Valley.

“We have decided to close all educational institutions, including universities, colleges and schools, for two days,” the minister said.

She added that the situation is being closely monitored and a decision regarding reopening of institutions will be taken after reviewing the ground situation. —

The decision came as protests erupted in Kashmir today soon after the news surfaced about the killing of Khamenei in air strikes by the US and Israeli forces in Tehran yesterday. (NVI)

Pakistan: US Consulate in Karachi stormed by mobs protesting killing of Iran’s Khamenei

Protesters storming US Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan against killing of Ali Khamenei

Islamabad, Mar 1: Hours after confirmation of the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hundreds of angry Pakistanis stormed the US Consulate in Karachi to protest the American action and indulged in vandalism and arson there.

Several of them were killed and wounded when the Karachi police and other security personnel opened fire to disperse the mob.

The actual figure was not immediately available as the situation is still unfolding and protests are continuing.

The action by the authorities came late as the protesters had already vandalised the premises and attempted to set it ablaze.

The protesters were chanting slogans against Israel and America and calling for revenge for the assassination of Khamenei, who was killed in air strikes in Tehran yesterday.

Khamenei’s killing was confirmed only this morning after persistent denial by the Iranian authorities despite Israel claiming yesterday that the 86-year-old Shia Muslim leader was dead.

Khamenei, who ruled Iran with a fist hand since 1989 enforcing strict Islamic laws in the Persian country, had throughout maintained a strong position against the West.

The US and Israel, particularly, would describe him as a “terrorist” and had been planning his ouster for decades. (NVI)

Indian Army Thwarts Drone Intrusion Bid Near LoC in

drone
Representational image of a drone

Poonch, March 1 (NVI): An attempt by Pakistan to violate the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir was foiled today by the Indian Army as it fired at and forced retreat of 3 drones in the Poonch sector.

The small quadcopters were spotted between 5.45 am and 6 am, attempting to enter this side of the LoC from Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), officials said.

Vigilant Indian Army troops immediately initiated counter-drone measures, forcing Pakistan to withdraw the quadcopters.

No loss of life or damage to property was reported.

Security forces have intensified surveillance along the LoC to prevent any such attempts in future, officials added.—(NVI)

 

Baramulla Police Issues Advisory, Urges Responsible Reporting Amid Prevailing Situation

Baramulla, Mar 01 :Police Media Cell Baramulla on Sunday issued an advisory urging media houses, journalists, social media users, digital platforms and individuals to exercise utmost responsibility while reporting and sharing information in view of the prevailing situation.

In a statement to NVI  District Police Baramulla advised that any news related to law and order or public gatherings must be verified from official and credible sources before publication or broadcast. It cautioned that circulation of rumours, unverified reports or speculative content could create unnecessary panic and disturb public peace.

The police also requested the media fraternity to refrain from sensationalism and rely strictly on official updates.

It further warned that entities found involved in spreading misinformation or rumours will face legal action.

Stressing that responsible reporting and information sharing are essential to maintain peace and harmony, the police appealed to citizens to positively contribute towards ensuring a calm and orderly environment. (NVI)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed in US-Israeli attacks
Iran threatens most devastating response

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (File Photo)

New Delhi, Mar 1 : In a huge development, Iran’s 86-year-old leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the joint strikes by the US and Israeli forces, ending his over three-decade hardline Islamic rule in the Persian nation.

Some of his family members, the country’s Defence Minister and several other top political and military officials have been killed in the US-Israel action, initiated under the ‘Operation Roaring Lion’.

Iranian government confirmed, through the State media, the death of Ali Khamenei hours after Israel and the US made strong assertions about the killing during hits at his residential buildings in Tehran.

Iranian government initially kept denying the news about Al Khamenei’s killing but finally made the admission.

Israel has said that his body has been recovered and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been shown its image.

The US-Israeli military strikes also killed Ali Khamenei’s son-in-law and daughter-in-law, as also Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Defence Council, Major General Mohammad Pakpour, Commander-in-Chief of the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Iranian government has announced 40-day mourning in memory of Ali Khamenei and vowed to undertake “the most devastating offensive operation in the history” of the country, targeting Israel and the US bases.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced Ali Khamenei’s killing and said it provided “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”

He noted that the US worked closely with Israel to target the man who had led Iran since 1989 with an iron hand, imposing strict Islamic rules in a country which had a predominant western way of life earlier.

His killing came after his whereabouts were monitored through intelligence and tracking systems, Trump said.

In his social media post, the US President added: “The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”

Israel’s military said it had confirmed that five other senior military commanders were also dead, including Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader.

Who was Khamenei?

With the title of the ‘Supreme Leader’,  Ali Khamenei held the ultimate authority over all branches of government, the military and the judiciary in Iran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who led an Islamic revolution in 1979 which resulted in ushering of the strict Sharia laws in the predominantly-Shia Muslim country that was criticised by the liberals and the West.

Initially dismissed as weak and indecisive, Khamenei seemed an unlikely choice for the position of the Supreme Leader after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini but down the years he stamped his iron-clad authority on the affairs of the Persian nation.

Throughout his tenure, he maintained a tough anti-West position, rubbing the American Administrations the wrong way.

At home, his rule crushed liberals while implementing tough Islamic rules. (NVI)

 

Earthquake of moderate intensity felt in Doda

Doda, Mar 01 : (NVI) A mild earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale struck Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the tremor occurred at around 1:25 am. The epicentre was located at latitude 33.08 degrees north and longitude 76.17 degrees east, at a depth of five kilometres.

Officials said there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property so far. Meanwhile, the authorities are monitoring the situation closely.(NVI)

Over 200 fighter jets used, 500 targets hit across Iran: Israel

Israeli Defence Forces (Logo)

New Delhi, Feb 28 : Israel said tonight that it hit over 500 targets at multiple locations of Iran, including air defence systems, while using more than 200 fighter planes, marking the largest military operations of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

It said the operations involved precise planning and excellent intelligence as hundreds of IDF fighter planes struck across Iran in a synchronised manner.

“200 IAF (Israeli Air Force) jets completed a broad strike against the missile array and the aerial defense systems of IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) in western and central Iran,” the IDF said in social media post.

“500+ targets hit, including aerial defense systems & missile launchers in several locations throughout Iran simultaneously,” it said.

“Conducted following precise planning with excellent intelligence, while synchronizing hundreds of fighter jets, the strikes allowed the expansion of the IAF’s aerial superiority over Iranian air space,” the IDF added.

In an earlier post, the IDF said it completed “a broad strike on strategic defense systems of the Iranian regime” and “struck multiple strategic aerial defense systems, including an advanced SA-65 system in the Kermanshah area of western Iran.”

The IDF has codenamed the military action as ‘Operation Roaring Lion’.

In the morning of Saturday, the IDF said they, along with the US Armed Forces, launched a “broad & joint operation to thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time.”

It said, “The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel. The regime has continued financing, training, and arming its proxies positioned on Israel’s borders. These actions constitute an existential threat to Israel and pose a danger to the Middle East and the world as a whole.”

Large scale war breaks out in Middle East after US, Israel attack Iran

A complex in Tehran in Iran hit during bombing by US and Israeli forces few days back (file pic)

New Delhi, Feb 28: A large scale war has erupted in the Middle East and engulfed several countries after the US and Israel launched attacks at Iran, which responded by targeting the Jewish nation as well as American military facilities in the region, including Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait and Jordon.

More than 20 provinces of Iran were hit by the air attacks initiated by the US and Israel after weeks of talks on the Iranian nuclear issue failed to yield any successful outcome.

The targets of the US-Israeli attacks included the residences of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other top political and military leadership, besides military and nuclear facilities.

Hours after the launch of the attacks, Israel believed Khamenei may have been killed, according to Israeli media citing unnamed sources. There was, however, no official confirmation from any side.

The Iranian government said among the various locations hit by the US-Israeli bombings was an elementary school for girls, in which 40 children were killed and over 50 injured.

The bombardments were described as “pre-emptive attack” by the US and Israel under the codename ‘Operation Roaring Lions’.

US President Donald Trump, in a video message, said the US has begun “major combat operations” in Iran.

Trump asked the Iranian leaders to “lay down your arms” or “you will face certain death.”

He also encouraged the people of Iran to “take over your government — it will be yours to take.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a statement, saying his country and the United States have launched an operation to remove the “existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran”.

He said the operation would “create conditions for the Iranian people to take destiny into their own hands.”

Netanyahu also stated that Iran must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons.

Prior to that, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said, “The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel.”

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they, along with the US Armed Forces, “launched a broad and joint operation to thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time.”

Shortly after being attacked, Iran began its counter-offensive, firing missiles and drones to target Israel as well as America’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in UAE and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet base in Bahrain.

Iran’s top military institution, the Supreme National Security Council, said the country’s armed forces had “commenced a decisive response to these hostile acts” of the US and Israel.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described the US and Israeli action as “brutal aggression of the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

It said Iran launched “the first wave of extensive missile and drone strikes” towards the “occupied territories” in “response to the aggression of the hostile and criminal enemy”.

The Iranian attacks at the US military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and Bahrain enraged governments of these nations, which slammed Tehran.

Saudi Arabia also slammed Iran for carrying out attacks on the countries of the region.

The latest attack on Iran came around 8 months after such an action by the US and Israel in June, resulting in a military confrontation lasting 12 days.

Middle East conflict: India calls for restraint, de-escalation of tensions

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (File Pic)

New Delhi, Feb 28 : As the war raged in the Middle East today, India expressed deep concern over the developments and called for restraint and de-escalation of tensions.

In a statement issued hours after the fighting erupted engulfing almost the entire Middle East, India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal underlined that “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected”.

The war broke out this morning after the US and Israel launched joint air attacks at Iran, which hit back by firing missiles and drones at the Jewish State as well as regional countries like Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait to target American bases there.

“India is deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region,” said Jaiswal.

“We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians. Dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected,” the MEA spokesman said.

He added that Indian Missions in the region are in touch with Indian nationals and have issued appropriate advisories asking them to remain vigilant, stay in contact with the Missions, and follow local security guidance.

1...252627...1,544Page 26 of 1,544

MUST READ