Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say

Trump administration officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff on Sunday that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack US forces first, two people familiar with the matter said. The United States and Israel launched their most ambitious attacks on Iran in decades on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sinking […]

President Zardari urges simple Holi celebrations amid regional tensions

President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple and restrained manner this year, citing the prevailing security situation on Pakistan’s western border and heightened regional tensions, and called for unity and shared responsibility. President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple […]

Gulf businesses reel as Iran strikes trigger regional shutdowns

Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf have triggered the most widespread business disruption in the region since the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing airport closures, halting port operations and sending shockwaves through financial markets. The attacks, launched in response to a joint United States-Israeli assault on Iran, landed across every major state in the Gulf, a region […]

Israel widens war with strikes on Tehran, Beirut as Trump signals weeks-long Iran campaign

Israel launched new air strikes targeting Tehran and expanded its military campaign to include attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon on Monday, as US President Donald Trump signalled the US-Israeli military assault on Iranian targets could continue for weeks. Israel said it was attacking sites connected to Lebanon’s Shia Muslim armed group Hezbollah, one of Tehran’s […]

Asian airline shares fall as US-Iran conflict disrupts travel, raises oil prices

Airline shares plunged on Monday, with Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific 0293.HK, Australia’s Qantas Airways QAN.AX, Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI and Japan Airlines 9201.T down more than 5% after the U.S. and Israel launched weekend strikes on Iran, disrupting travel and sending oil prices surging. Global air travel remained in turmoil as war in Iran forced the […]

PM reviews security, evacuation plans

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting to review regional and national security issues, including the evacuation of Pakistani citizens from Iran amid escalating tensions following the US-Israel attacks on Iran. The meeting was convened following confirmation of the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — a development that was […]