Israel Iran Conflict

US forces have hit more than 10,000 targets so far in the Iran war, the head of the American military's Central Command said. US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper made the comments in a video released early Thursday by Central Command. "If you combine what we've accomplished with the success of our Israeli ally, together, we have struck thousands more," Cooper said. "Our precision strikes have overwhelmed Iranian air defences and our combat flights are having tangible effects." Cooper added that the US has destroyed 92 per cent of "the Iranian navy's largest vessels." "They've now lost the ability to meaningly project naval power and influence around the region and around the world," Cooper said. Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through drone and missile attacks on shipping, however. Cooper also said the US has struck over two-thirds of Iran's munitions plants. "Today, we have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran's missile,

The 2,000 paratroopers heading to the region may give President Trump more leverage in negotiations, but they also leave him with the option of doubling down on military force

Some people booked on Gulf carriers have described hours on hold to reach customer service, repeated cancellations with little explanation and automatic refunds without rebooking options

Iran has publicly rejected Trump's diplomatic outreach and threatened massive retaliation if the US does put boots on the ground in a bid to break Tehran's will

Trump, while delivering remarks at the NRCC Annual Fundraising Dinner, said that there has never been a head of a country who wanted that job less than being the head of Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said that they have permitted the passage of vessels for friendly countries, including India, through the Strait of Hormuz.Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai said in a post, "Iran FM Abbas Araghchi: We permitted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly nations including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan."This follows comments by the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, who called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.In a post on X, he said, "The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the movement of oil, gas, & fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season. Across the region & beyond, civilians are enduring serious harm & living under profound insecurity. The UN is working to minimise the consequences of the war. And the best way to minimise those consequences is clear: End the war - immediately."Guterres urged the US and Israel to end the war in West ...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his government has not engaged in talks to end the war, "and we do not plan on any negotiations". His remark came during an interview with the Iranian state TV on Wednesday. The Islamic Republic dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including an assault that sparked a huge fire at Kuwait International Airport. Iran's defiance came as Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran and as the United States deployed paratroopers and more Marines to the region. Earlier, two officials from Pakistan, which transmitted the US plan to Iran, described the 15-point proposal broadly, saying it addressed sanctions relief, a rollback of Iran's nuclear programme, limits on missiles and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is shipped. An Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts said the proposal also includes restrictions on Iran'

US President Donald Trump will travel to China on May 14 and 15 for a rescheduled summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump, who was earlier scheduled to travel to Beijing by the end of this month, postponed his trip due to the war in Iran. Announcing Trump's "long-awaited" trip to China, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US president and First Lady Melania will also host President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a reciprocal visit to Washington DC at a later date this year. Responding to a question if the two leaders spoke about the conclusion of the war as a precondition to reschedule this meeting, she answered there was no discussion about the rescheduling of the meeting between the president and Xi. "President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout the region right now. He understood, obviously, the request to postpone and accept it, which is why we have a meeting,"

Union minister flags energy security risks amid West Asia tensions; project expected to boost reserves and add over seven days of crude cover

India had shunned energy purchases from Iran ‌in 2019 under pressure from Western sanctions. The tanker was initially bound for China, according to LSEG data

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed to US President Donald Trump that the war in West Asia must end soon as it is hurting everyone, the government told an up-in-arms Opposition at an all-party meeting on Wednesday, terming Pakistan a "dalaal" (broker) nation in reference to its reported mediation in the conflict. There is nothing new in Pakistan's mediation efforts in the matter as that country has been "used" by the US since 1981, sources quoted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as saying. "We are not a dalaal nation," Jaishankar is said to have told the attendees of the meeting convened at the Parliament complex to discuss the West Asia crisis. The sources added that the government refuted the Opposition's charge that New Delhi was silent on the situation, asserting that "we are commenting and responding". When the Iran embassy was opened, the Foreign Secretary visited immediately and signed the condolence book, the government told the parties in response to the ...

For FII's, the favored markets over last two years have been countries that were beneficiaries of new age tech and artificial intelligence (AI), he said.

Only nine equity schemes launched in March as geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility prompt fund houses to delay new offerings despite strong pipeline

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Weaponising trade chokepoints has fragmented global markets like crude oil, leading to sharp regional price variations

Interestingly, while the ongoing conflict has serious implications for the smaller oil-importing Asean economies, China may stand to benefit for several reasons

Parliamentary panel recommends insurance support, working capital relief and a long-term maritime resilience framework amid rising costs and supply disruptions

Amid the West Asia conflict, a total of 1,043 Indian nationals, including 717 students, have crossed out of Iran with the assistance of the mission in Tehran, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday. At an inter-ministerial briefing here on the West Asia situation, Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf), MEA, also said the overall flight situation continues to improve, and that around 4.26 lakh passengers have returned from the region to India since February 28. "During this period, a total of 2,149 flights, including scheduled and non-scheduled flights of Indian as well as foreign carriers, have operated from the region to India," he said. The MEA said it continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf and the West Asia region. "We are according the highest priority to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of the large Indian community in the region," Mahajan said. The ministry's dedicated Control Room remains operational to address queries

Tehran termed the US proposal excessive, and said it would continue operations; it also outlined five conditions including security guarantees and control over the Strait of Hormuz

New Delhi has strong economic ties with the UAE and other Gulf nations, where almost 10 million Indians work