Angel Reese posts heartfelt message as brother Julian Reese makes NBA Summer League debut (Image Source: Getty Images)

The Washington Wizards will host the Toronto Raptors at home on Saturday night in Washington, D.C. The Wizards have just lost to the Atlanta Hawks twice in a row. In the meantime, the Wizards announced the signing of a new player prior to their game against the Raptors on Saturday.Julian Reese is finally returning home after making his professional debut with the Toronto Raptors franchise. WNBA player Angel Reese’s younger brother, Julian, played for the University of Maryland, which is located close outside of Washington, for four seasons in college. WNBA player Angel Reese now posted a message for her brother in response to the news.

Angel Reese celebrates brother Julian Reese’s achievement after Washington Wizards two-way signing

The Washington Wizards have signed rookie forward Julian Reese to a two-way contract. Reese has been a mainstay of Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, this season. Through the PR for the Washington Wizards: “The Washington Wizards announced today they have signed forward Julian Reese to a two-way contract. Reese (6-9, 230) has appeared in 39 games for the G League’s Raptors 905 this season, averaging 7.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game.”When Julian Reese got a contract with the Washington Wizards, his big sister gave him a shoutout. Angel Reese said on X, “so proud of you!” after the Wizards revealed on Saturday that Reese had agreed to a two-way contract.She wrote:“My baby brother Ugh I’m so proud of you! Your journey has never been easy & you’ve always stayed the course! Let’s go Juju! @Reese10Julian..”With 38 appearances this season, the 22-year-old from Baltimore ascended swiftly up the depth 905’s depth chart, averaging 7.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 17.2 minutes per game. Reese finished second in total rebounds and topped the Raptors 905 in both offensive and average field goal %.In 2025, Julian, then 22 years old, was not selected out of Maryland. In October, he agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors.Reese averaged 7.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 39 games with the Raptors’ G League club. Over the last six weeks of the regular season, he will probably have the opportunity to play a big role for the Wizards in the NBA.

Julian Reese eyes NBA debut as Angel Reese continues to show support

Reese played collegiate basketball at Maryland, where he shot 55.7% from the field and 29.2% from three-point range in 134 games, averaging 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.Josh Robbins of The Athletic wrote: “The Wizards’ expectation is that Julian Reese, whose two-way contract became official today, could be in uniform as early as Tuesday’s game in Orlando. Reese, a 6-foot-9 big, attended Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy and the University of Maryland & is the brother of Angel Reese.”Teams can keep a player active with the NBA club for up to 50 games under a two-way deal. This season, the Wizards have just 24 games left. When the Wizards play the Raptors at Capital One Arena on Saturday night, Reese might make his NBA debut against his previous parent organization.As she recently rejoined Unrivaled to play for the rest of the Rose BC squad, Angel expressed her admiration for her brother. The Chicago Sky star lost to Phantom BC on Friday, scoring 17 points.

TOI Correspondent from Washington: For nearly a decade, US President and MAGA supremo Donald Trump fashioned his political identity around a simple, potent pledge: end America’s “endless wars.” He derided the foreign policy establishment as reckless interventionists and insisted he alone could resist the military-industrial complex. “I am the most militaristic person there is, but I don’t want to use it,” he often said, branding himself a “peace president.”Yet as 2026 unfolds, Trump’s second term tells a sharply different story — one marked by muscular interventions in Venezuela and now Iran, open threats against Greenland, Mexico, and Canada, and a worldview that fuses red-blooded nationalism with high-stakes brinkmanship.

The most dramatic rupture with Trump’s earlier peacenik posture came in January, when US forces launched a lightning operation in Venezuela that culminated in the capture of its President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The raid — described by the White House as a “counternarcotics mission” — effectively decapitated the government in Caracas. But that was “small beer” compared to the action in Iran, where he has eviscerated the country’s top leader. Trump framed the action in Venezuela as law enforcement. “We are taking out narco-terrorists who threaten American communities,” he said, adding that the United States would oversee a “stable transition.” Critics, including many Democrats on Capitol Hill, called it regime change by another name.Behind the counternarcotics rationale lay broader geopolitical calculations. Maduro’s government had deepened ties with Moscow and Beijing, offering both a strategic foothold in the Western Hemisphere. The operation, dubbed by critics as part of a “Donroe Doctrine” — an amped-up reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine — signaled that Trump sees the Americas as a sphere where US dominance will be enforced, if necessary, by force.This assertiveness has extended northward. Trump revived his long-standing ambition to “acquire” Greenland from Denmark, at one point suggesting military options if negotiations stalled. “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” he said in January, before softening the rhetoric at Davos amid NATO backlash. The episode rattled European allies and underscored a foreign policy that treats territory less as sovereign ground than as strategic real estate.Nowhere is the contradiction between Trump’s rhetoric and actions more glaring than in Iran. In June 2025, after “Operation Midnight Hammer,” Trump declared that US strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. “They will never have a nuclear weapon,” he said triumphantly, presenting the mission as a decisive end to the threat.But eight months later, he authorized “Operation Epic Fury,” a sweeping joint assault with Israel targeting nuclear and missile facilities and senior regime figures. In a televised address, Trump offered a starkly different assessment. “The regime has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach US soil,” he said. “We will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon… this regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the might of the US Armed Forces.”The juxtaposition is jarring: a president who claimed to have eradicated the threat now invoking its “imminent” resurgence as justification for further war. US intelligence assessments last year suggested Iran was not actively pursuing a weapon, raising questions about the immediacy of the danger. Administration officials argue Tehran attempted to rebuild capabilities after the 2025 strikes, necessitating renewed force. For Trump, the distinction may be less about technical intelligence judgments than about projecting strength. In his framework, peace is achieved not through negotiated equilibrium but through overwhelming dominance.Layered atop these actions is Trump’s long-running preoccupation with the Nobel Peace Prize. He has repeatedly argued that diplomatic efforts such as the Abraham Accords merited recognition and has publicly lamented that “Norway foolishly chose not to give me the prize.” He has repeatedly claimed he had “ended eight wars” and saved “tens of millions of lives,” suggesting that his critics ignore the stabilizing effects of his assertiveness. In messages to Norwegian officials, he hinted that perceived slights diminish his incentive to “think purely of Peace.”The irony is unmistakable. Trump equates peace with submission — conflicts concluded through coercion or decisive force. By that logic, escalating crises to a breaking point and then imposing outcomes can be cast as peacemaking. The result is a presidency that is simultaneously isolationist and interventionist. Trump remains skeptical of multilateral institutions, has slashed foreign aid, and demands allies shoulder more burdens. Yet he has demonstrated a readiness to deploy American power unilaterally in pursuit of strategic leverage. Supporters see decisive leadership restoring deterrence. Detractors see erosion of alliances and a pattern of regime-change operations once denounced as folly.The central paradox endures: a leader who rose to prominence condemning foreign entanglements now presides over an era of expanding military engagements. In Trump’s evolving doctrine, “America First” does not mean withdrawal from the world. It means reshaping it — forcefully if necessary — while insisting the ultimate aim is peace, and perhaps, a medal, which he may well pin on himself, to prove it.

TOI correspondent from Washington: In the volatile chessboard of Middle-East and Gulf politics, few alignments have been as striking as the quiet convergence between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Jewish state of Israel over the question of Shia-dominated Iran. Long divided by ideology, history, and the unresolved Palestinian question, the two countries have found common cause in what they view as Tehran’s expanding arc of influence — and in the months leading to Washington’s military strike on Iran, their parallel lobbying efforts in the US reached an intensity rarely seen.According to media reports, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to US President Donald Trump over the past month advocating a US. attack, despite his public support for a diplomatic solution, including pledging, following a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, that Saudi airspace or territory would not be used in an attack on Iran. In his discussions with US. officials, the Saudi leader actually warned that Iran would come away stronger and more dangerous if the US did not strike now, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, suggesting a double game.

For Riyadh, the calculus is rooted in a decade-long rivalry that is as much geopolitical as it is sectarian. Saudi Arabia, the self-proclaimed leader of the Sunni Arab world and custodian of Islam’s two holiest mosques, sees Iran’s revolutionary Shiite theocracy as a direct ideological and strategic challenger. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Tehran has sought to export its model of governance and build influence through a network of allied militias and political movements across the region — from Iraq to Lebanon and Yemen.Israel’s motivations, though framed differently, converge on the same focal point: Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its sponsorship of armed groups hostile to the Jewish state. Israeli leaders have long warned that a nuclear-capable Iran would alter the regional balance irreversibly. Over time, that concern evolved into a broader campaign to curb Iran’s regional footprint, including its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon and militias in Syria.The unusual alignment between Riyadh and Jerusalem was not born overnight. Shared intelligence assessments, quiet security dialogues, and a mutual anxiety about US. retrenchment in the Middle East laid the groundwork. Both capitals viewed Washington’s earlier diplomatic outreach to Tehran as a strategic error that legitimized Iranian power without constraining its regional activism. As Iran’s influence deepened in Baghdad, Damascus, and Beirut, Saudi and Israeli officials amplified their warnings in Washington, arguing that deterrence had failed and that only decisive action could reset the equation.According to the Post, the US attack came despite intelligence assessments in Washington that Iran’s forces were unlikely to pose an immediate threat to the US . mainland within the next decade. The strike on Iran, including the stunning assassination of its leader, is a break from decades of American policy to hold back from a full-scale effort to depose the Iranian regime. In fact, there have been times when President Trump spoke even of engaging the Iranian leadership.The motivations behind Tel Aviv and Riyadh urging a US. strike are layered. Saudi Arabia sought to blunt Iran’s capacity to project power into the Arab heartland and to reassert its own claim to leadership in the Islamic world. Israel aimed to degrade Iran’s military infrastructure and nuclear facilities, buying time and restoring what it calls credible deterrence. For both, an American strike offered the advantage of overwhelming force without the political and military costs of unilateral action.Yet the implications are profound and unpredictable. The Middle East’s sectarian map remains a fault line. Iran is the largest Shiite-majority country, but significant Shiite populations also reside in Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Pakistan, and parts of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Sunni-majority states — including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and most Gulf monarchies — have historically aligned, formally or informally, to counterbalance Iranian influence. An attack on Iran risks hardening these divides. In Iraq, where a Shiite-led government governs a fractured polity, public opinion could tilt sharply against Washington and its Gulf partners. In Lebanon, Hezbollah would face pressure to respond, potentially widening the conflict.At the ideological level, the strike intensifies the contest for leadership of the Islamic world. Saudi Arabia’s claim rests on religious custodianship and financial clout; Iran’s rests on revolutionary legitimacy and its narrative of resistance against Western and Israeli power. A US-led attack — especially if perceived as encouraged by Riyadh — may allow Tehran to recast itself as the aggrieved defender of Muslim sovereignty, potentially galvanizing Shiite communities and even segments of Sunni opinion disillusioned with Gulf monarchies. The energy dimension adds another layer of global consequence. Iran sits astride the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes. Even limited military exchanges in or near the waterway could disrupt shipping lanes, spike insurance costs, and send crude prices soaring. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has spare capacity that could cushion supply shocks, but sustained instability would test global markets already sensitive to geopolitical risk. Asian importers — from India to China — would feel the brunt of any prolonged disruption.For Washington, the decision to act — under pressure from two unlikely partners — underscores the enduring pull of Middle Eastern alliances on American policy, now driven by Trump principals with deep financial ties to Riyadh. The deeper story is not merely about a military strike. It is about a struggle for regional primacy, identity, and narrative in a fractured Islamic world. In aligning to confront Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel have reshaped regional diplomacy. Whether that alignment brings stability or ignites a wider conflagration may determine the Middle East’s trajectory — and the stability of global energy markets — for years to come.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday announced that a new interim leadership council has formally begun functioning. This comes after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US and Israeli strikes.In a recorded video statement broadcast on state television, Pezeshkian said, “The interim leadership council started its work. We will continue with all our strength along the path set by Imam Khamenei, the founder of the Islamic Republic.”He added ““We will continue the path of the Leader with strength. Our Armed Forces are crushing the bases of the enemies.”Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that the process to appoint a new Supreme Leader could be completed within days, Al Jazeera reported.Speaking to the news outlet on Sunday, he said state institutions were functioning, and succession procedures were underway.“You may see the selection of a supreme leader in a day or two,” Araghchi said, adding that “Iran’s institutions are functioning” and that the country “has constitutional procedures in place.”Describing the killing as a watershed moment, Araghchi said, ““It is absolutely unprecedented and a major violation of international law for a leader of another country to be assassinated by foreign forces.”He further warned, “That would make this conflict – this war of aggression by the Americans against us – even more dangerous and more complicated, and it would perhaps add new aspects to it.”The foreign minister also confirmed that Tehran had activated constitutional provisions to ensure continuity of governance.“We have begun a constitutional process, and the Transitional Council was established today and will work to manage affairs,” he said. Emphasising Iran’s stance on retaliation and self-defence, Araghchi added, “We have no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves.”

How is Iran’s leader selected?

Under Iran’s constitution, the Supreme Leader is the highest authority in the country, wielding control over the armed forces, judiciary, state broadcasting and key appointments, while also setting overarching state policy.In the event of a vacancy, the Assembly of Experts — an elected clerical body — is tasked with selecting a successor.If the post becomes suddenly vacant, a temporary leadership arrangement is activated to ensure continuity. This typically involves senior constitutional authorities assuming interim responsibilities until a new Supreme Leader is chosen.

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In the early hours of Sunday, March 1, Iranian state television confirmed what had been spreading in fragments the night before: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, was dead.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening wave of a coordinated US-Israeli campaign – an event that immediately triggered retaliatory Iranian missile fire across the region and set off dueling scenes inside Iran: celebration in some neighborhoods and mass mourning rallies in others.

Meanwhile, Iran’s military and political leadership signaled escalation – not surrender.

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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed the “most ferocious” operation in history as explosions and sirens were reported from Gulf capitals and Israel amid new salvos.

Why it matters

Khamenei’s death is the biggest shock to Iran’s power structure since 1979 – and it collides with a central question the US and Israel are now effectively betting on: can popular anger translate into a takeover of the state, faster than the security apparatus can reassert control?The early indicators cut both ways:

In short: Even if many Iranians want the system gone, toppling it amid bombs, blackouts, and security crackdowns is a different kind of challenge.

Zoom in

What the streets are signaling

The Guards, the Basij, and the economics of control

Between the lines

If a mass movement is going to “take over the regime,” it needs three things at once: organization, momentum, and splits inside the coercive apparatus.Right now, each is uncertain:

Academic analysis from The Conversation lands on a skeptical conclusion about a people-powered overthrow under bombardment. Donald Heflin, a veteran diplomat, argued: “I would be surprised if we saw a popular uprising in Iran that really had a chance of bringing the regime down.”That assessment also flags a darker possibility: the system survives – but hardens, with power shifting toward security hardliners rather than liberalizing.

What next

Alireza Arafi was named on Sunday as the jurist representative on Iran’s Leadership Council, the interim body responsible for carrying out the supreme leader’s duties until the Assembly of Experts selects a successor, the ISNA news agency reported.A cleric who also serves on the Guardian Council, Arafi will join President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on the temporary three-member panel.Watch these near-term tells:

Bottom line: Iranians in the streets can shake the regime – and the symbolism of Khamenei’s death is enormous – but “taking over” requires more than courage. It requires the regime’s coercive core to splinter, or be neutralized, faster than it can reorganize under a wartime banner.

Representative image (Picture credit: ANI)

An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Oman in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, injuring four crew members and forcing a full evacuation, as tensions continue to escalate after US–Israel strikes on Iran.Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was targeted about five nautical miles north of Khasab Port in Musandam Governorate.

All 20 crew members, 15 Indian nationals and five Iranian nationals, were evacuated safely. Preliminary information indicates that at least four sustained injuries and were transferred for medical treatment, according to Gulf News.Omani authorities also confirmed that the port of Duqm was targeted in a drone attack.

Strait effectively shut after IRGC warning

The attack came a day after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared via radio transmissions that the Strait of Hormuz was closed to international navigation.While Tehran has not formally announced a full blockade, Reuters reported that multiple vessels in the area received VHF warnings stating that “no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz”.The British Navy said such orders were not legally binding but advised caution. An EU naval mission official told Reuters that disruptions were building rapidly, although traffic had not completely stopped.The strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, carries roughly 20% of global oil supply and large volumes of LNG, particularly from Qatar. It is considered one of the world’s most critical maritime choke points.

Ships halted, insurers withdraw cover

Several tanker owners and oil majors have suspended crude and LNG shipments through the route. Satellite images showed vessels backing up near Fujairah in the UAE. German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd said it was suspending transit through Hormuz, while French group CMA CGM instructed ships to seek shelter.Consultancy Kpler noted that at least 14 LNG tankers had slowed, stopped or turned around. Specific vessels, including the KHK Empress and India-flagged Desh Abhimaan, reportedly reversed course, as per Euronews.Marine insurers have halted coverage for voyages in the area, leaving operators exposed to major risk premiums.

Regional ripple effects

According to news agency ANI, three Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vessels, Karachi, Lahore and Khairpur, were stopped by Iran from entering Hormuz. Two were held at Fujairah port in the UAE, while one anchored at Gwadar in Pakistan.The disruption follows joint US–Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering missile retaliation across the region.Oil markets reopened Sunday evening amid speculation that Brent crude could touch $100 per barrel, levels last seen after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Barclays analysts warned that a prolonged halt could block up to 20 million barrels per day, around 20% of global supply.With traffic stalled and tensions high, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile, and further escalation could have severe consequences for global energy markets.

Newlyweds Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna visited a Hyderabad temple. Vijay protected Rashmika from a large crowd. Videos of his caring gesture went viral. The couple is distributing sweets and food across India. A grand reception is planned for them in Hyderabad on March 4th. Celebrations continue nationwide.

A quiet temple visit turned into a heart-melting moment for fans as newlyweds Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna stepped out together in Hyderabad. The couple, who recently got married in Udaipur, looked calm and happy as they sought blessings. However, what attracted all eyes was how Vijay Deverakonda softly held Rashmika‘s hand and led her through the heavy crowd. He remained firmly behind her, amid the pushing and shoving, keeping her well on the path ahead. The videos quickly went viral, and fans praised his protective and caring nature.

Temple visit filled with love and protection

Rashmika looked gorgeous in her silk saree with beautiful gold embroidery while Vijay donned a kurta. A very large crowd was keen to look at the newlywed couple. They shared a lively and peppy atmosphere as they greeted fans and media, struck a pose, and gave out sweets. But Vijay never left Rashmika’s hand. He expertly maneuveed through the sea of people, guiding her through.

Wedding celebrations continue across India

Even as these videos trended, the couple began preparing for the next phase of their celebrations. As a gesture of thanks, they arranged sweet distribution and annadanam in temples across more than 20 cities. From Hyderabad and Chennai to Delhi and Coorg, trucks filled with sweets were sent to share their happiness with fans. The idea, they said, was to celebrate their marriage with the entire country through prayer, food, and love. Their message made fans feel personally included in their big moment.

Grand Hyderabad reception loading

The celebrations are far from over. A chic reception is being organized for the star couple in Hyderabad on the 4th of March, and all the possible arrangements are being made. People from her family, film fraternity friends, and a few special invitees will grace the occasion.

Astrologer Greenstone Lobo has delivered a bold prediction ahead of the mouth-watering Super 8s clash between India and West Indies at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday. The equation is simple: winner advances to the semifinals, loser goes home. With a semi-final spot on the line, Lobo weighed in on planetary patterns, pressure dynamics, and what the stars suggest for India in this virtual knockout.“Panic buttons have been pressed, people have been frantically calling me or messaging me asking, ‘Will India win the World Cup? Forget about winning the World Cup, can we even reach the semi-finals?’ Lobo told TimesofIndia.com.

He acknowledged the strength of the West Indies but stressed that planetary alignments favor India. “West Indies is not a slouch, it’s a very very powerful team, but we are looking at the fact that from the patch of 1992 to 1994, there can be only one team who can do really well. We have three teams: Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies captain. South Africa is clearly ahead, so Pakistan and West Indies are not going to pose that much of a problem. The team is going to falter against India.”India heads into this do-or-die clash after a commanding 72-run win over Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With South Africa already through to the semifinals, all eyes now turn to Kolkata, where the winner will face England in the semis.Lobo also highlighted the hidden opportunities for India.

“Even though we lost [against South Africa] and our openers have not done well, it is good for India. Some players who have not been part of the playing XI, like Sanju Samson, can now step in. Adding Samson can be a very big thing because he adds a lot of muscle and was born in 1994, which astrologically is favorable.”The Eden Gardens pitch promises a high-scoring spectacle. Temperatures in Kolkata are expected to hover between 26°C and 31°C, with clear skies ensuring uninterrupted play. But India’s net run rate (-0.100) is a concern. The West Indies, boosted by a massive 101-run win over Zimbabwe, have a strong +1.791 NRR.In the unlikely event of rain washing out the match, both teams would earn one point each. India’s inferior NRR would see them eliminated, while West Indies would advance to the semifinals. This adds even more weight to the do-or-die nature of Sunday’s clash.

Both India and West Indies have one win from two Super 8 matches, making this effectively a knockout. As Lobo summarised, “The team has to leave everything on the park, perform in all departments, and this will give India the best chance to win the game. Whatever has happened in previous matches is a blessing in disguise — the firepower in the team will come to the fore, and India is set to prevail.”Sunday’s clash at Eden Gardens is not just a game — it is a virtual quarterfinal between India and West Indies.

Strikes in Iran (AP photo)

With the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched attacks against the United States and Israel, hitting key US military bases in the region and targeting Israeli sites.Operation Epic Fury, the US-led military action under President Donald Trump, achieved its most critical objective: the killing of Khamenei in strikes early Sunday in Tehran. The operation reportedly also killed Khamenei’s daughter and grandchild, as the attacks hit several key locations in the Iranian capital.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Donald Trump declared on his Truth Social. The offensive marked a major escalation, with Trump launching a full-scale operation aimed at dismantling the Khamenei-led political establishment and reshaping power dynamics in the oil-rich nation. Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also joined the strikes under the codename Operation Lion’s Roar.

Loud explosions heard in Tehran

Several loud explosions were heard in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian state media reported.The blasts came after Israel said it had launched another wave of strikes. The Israeli military said it targeted Iran’s ballistic missile and air defence systems on Sunday morning.

MEA advisory

The Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory for foreign nationals in India who have had to change travel plans due to the escalating security situation in West Asia.The MEA urged affected individuals to contact their nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for assistance with visa extensions or to regularise their stay. It said the concerned FRROs will facilitate the required formalities.The advisory follows widespread flight cancellations and airspace restrictions triggered by the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict, which has disrupted international travel, including services to and from India.Also read: Why Saturday? How Israel-US strikes targeted Khamenei and his inner circle‘1,200 munitions were dropped by fighter jets in Iran'” IsraelClaiming massive attack against Iran, the Israeli airforce claimed that, “More than 1,200 munitions were dropped by fighter jets of the Air Force in the past day,” while sharing footage from the take-offs for the strikes.

Iran strikes US naval base in Kuwait

Iran also struck US military bases in Kuwait, according to the IRGC. “The American naval base in the Abdullah Mubarak area of Kuwait was hit by four ballistic missiles and 12 drones. All infrastructure was destroyed, and a large number of American personnel were killed or injured. Additionally, the MST-class combat support ship, carrying fuel for American vessels in the Indian Ocean, was hit by Iranian Qadr 380 missiles,” the report said.Also read: More explosions in Dubai, Doha and Manama; airports targeted?

Iran’s top military leadership killed

Apart from Khamenei, Iran also reported that Gen. Abdol Rahim Mousavi and Defence Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh were also killed in an airstrike on a defence council meeting.The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Maj Gen Mohammad Pakpour, and senior security adviser Ali Shamkhani were also killed, according to IRNA.

Civilian toll rises in Iran

Iranian prosecutor Ebrahim Taheri said 148 people were killed and 95 wounded after a US–Israeli strike hit a girls’ school in Minab county in southern Iran.

Iran forms interim leadership council

A constitutional council has been formed to govern Iran following Khamenei’s death. The body includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and a member of the Guardian Council selected by the Expediency Council.Under Iranian law, the Assembly of Experts must appoint a new supreme leader “as soon as possible.”

Iran vows retaliation

Pezeshkian denounced Khamenei’s killing “as a great crime” and promised a response.“This great crime will never remain unanswered and will turn a new page in the history of the Islamic world and Shiism. The pure blood of this high-ranking leader will flow like a roaring spring and will eradicate American-Zionist oppression and crime,” his office said.“This time too, with all our strength and determination, with the support of the Islamic nation and the free people of the world, we will make the perpetrators and commanders of this great crime regret it,” it added.Pezeshkian also declared seven days of public holidays in addition to the 40-day mourning period. Iran’s parliament speaker said the country had prepared for “all scenarios” including Khamenei’s death.

‘They better not do that’: Trump warns Iran

US President Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Sunday after Tehran signalled it might launch heavy attacks in response to recent US‑led strikes. Trump took to Truth Social, saying he had seen reports that Iran planned to “hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before.”“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,” Trump wrote. “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

Air raid sirens sound across Israel

Israel’s military said it was responding to Iranian missile fire, with air raid sirens activated across central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank.“Sirens were sounded in several areas across the country, following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military said. “The air force is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary.”

Explosions reported in gulf cities

Fresh blasts were reported in Dubai, Doha, and Manama as Iran targeted multiple territories in retaliation.Iran’s military reportedly struck Dubai International Airport, the Burj Al Arab, and other high-profile locations. Four people were injured in the airport attack, causing damage inside a passenger terminal.In Iraq, Iran targeted a US base in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said a drone strike hit Bahrain International Airport, causing material damage but no casualties.AFP reporters also heard explosions across Dubai, Doha, and Manama, with thick black smoke seen over Doha after several loud blasts.

US Central Command confirms operations

The head of US Central Command said American forces were engaged in military operations during the first 24 hours of “Operation Epic Fury.”“The President ordered bold action,” Adm. Brad Cooper said.

IRGC carries out sixth wave of attacks

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it was carrying out a sixth wave of attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes.It said it had launched “extensive missile and drone” attacks on Israel and US bases. According to Iranian reports, 27 US bases, Israel’s Tel Nof Airbase, the Israeli army’s command headquarters at HaKirya in Tel Aviv, and a major defence industrial complex were targeted.The IRGC warned it would “implement a different and harsh step of revenge, with successive, regrettable slaps.”

Global reaction remains cautious

The death of Khamenei, who had no designated successor, is expected to increase uncertainty in Iran and raise fears of a wider conflict. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting.Many countries abstained from commenting directly on US-Israeli strikes but condemned Iran’s retaliation. Some, like Australia and Canada, supported the US, while Russia and China criticized the strikes.The 22-nation Arab League called Iran’s attacks “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability.” Morocco, Jordan, Syria, and the UAE condemned Iranian strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Emirates.Despite the violence, some international leaders have urged a resumption of dialogue to avoid further escalation, as tensions continue across the Middle East.

Regional travel chaos

Airspace closures across Israel and parts of the Gulf stranded tens of thousands of travellers.Emirates suspended flights to and from Dubai. Qatar’s airport closed until at least Monday morning. Israeli airspace remains shut.In Bali, more than 1,600 passengers were stranded after Middle East-bound flights were cancelled.

Protests and security alerts

Protesters in Baghdad attempted to approach the heavily fortified Green Zone housing Iraqi government buildings and the US Embassy. The US Embassy in Jordan urged Americans to remain indoors, citing reports of missiles, drones or rockets in Jordanian airspace.