opinion

Compared with other weapons, such as missiles, it’s much harder for the US and Israel to target Iran’s drones on the ground because they can be launched from almost anywhere. And while they can’t be built anywhere, drones don’t require the same advanced manufacturing facilities as missiles. In short, they are harder to detect and wipe out.

There hardly appears to be any scope of ceasefire and reconciliation as both the sides are sticking to their respective positions, which are neither feasible nor pragmatic.

Israel not only developed its nuclear weapons in secret – employing subterfuge, misleading claims, and even the suspected theft of bomb-grade nuclear material from the United States – it has also rejected international inspections of its facilities and refused to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed by almost every state in the world. Iran, meanwhile, has never had a nuclear weapon, though its programme has been the source of international concern for more than a decade.

Certain truths need to be told bluntly. The Supreme Court has not ruled anything unusual or illogical. Yes, the court does not need to be politically correct, like the Congress always tries to.

The United States and its allies have built a layered system to watch the skies day and night. This system uses satellites in space, radar on the ground, ships at sea and aircraft in the air. It also depends on well-trained military members from U.S. Space Command who make quick decisions with the data.

Hamas has been devastated by the Israeli onslaught that followed the October 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel. This has left the group unable to play a part in the Iran war. Hezbollah, on the other hand, entered the conflict early on. But it finds itself damaged to the point it constitutes a far greater threat to Lebanese stability than it does to Israel. The Houthis, meanwhile, have been conspicuous by their absence.

Trump never expected the war to escalate the way it has. He understandably believed that it may be a matter of a couple of weeks at the most. Seeing Iran’s retaliation at such a scale, the US is surprised.

Prime Minister Modi did not “inherit” the government from colonial rule. In stark contrast, he rose from the ranks. He did not have any political pedigree. Coming from a humble family background, he toiled hard from a grassroots worker to the top most political position, first in the state of Gujarat and later in the entire country.

The candidate list unveiled by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee is not merely an electoral exercise; it is a carefully calibrated disruption. The imprint of Abhishek Banerjee on this list is unmistakable. This is not just candidate selection; it is doctrine in motion. Performance, not patronage, appears to have been the guiding metric.

The alleged suicide of the officer could not have come at a wrong time for the ruling party when it is preparing for Assembly elections scheduled early next year or may be in December this year, on the plank of honest government.

Scholars have described Trump’s rhetorical style as “unbalanced vituperation”, stressing his constant use of demeaning language, false equivalences and exclusion.

Donald Trump hints at winding down Iran operations as domestic pressure, rising costs and global risks mount amid an escalating conflict.