At least 47 people were injured on Saturday evening after an Iranian missile struck the southern Israeli town of Dimona—famous for the dome-shaped structure atop its nuclear centre and popularly known as “little India”, rescue services said.
Among the injured was a 12-year-old boy in serious condition after being hit by shrapnel, officials from the Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue services and local residents said.
A woman in her 30s was moderately hurt by glass shards, and 31 others suffered minor injuries from shrapnel or were hurt after falling over while running to shelters, they said. Some 14 others were treated for acute anxiety at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.
“The missile fell on a community building, and nearby older houses collapsed under the impact. Most of the people were in shelters, so they were not hurt badly, except for the young boy who stayed outside,” a local resident said.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it is investigating the failure to intercept the Iranian ballistic missile. The Israeli army said the air defences engaged the ballistic missile, but the interceptors failed to knock it down.
“The incident will be investigated,” it said.
UN nuclear watchdog IAEA issued a call for “maximum military restraint” after the attack.
“The IAEA is aware of reports of an incident in the city of Dimona, Israel, involving a missile impact and has not received any indication of damage to the nuclear research center Negev,” the IAEA said in a post on X.
Iran said it is targeting Dimona as a “response” to an earlier strike on the Natanz nuclear enrichment site. The IDF, however, said it was not responsible for striking Natanz earlier in the day.
Dimona has a large Indian-Jewish population, and the community members, mostly from the state of Maharashtra, maintain strong links with India and have consistently put efforts to solidify them. This has earned the town the nickname of “Little India”.
Indian shops are spread across the town, and Marathi can be heard everywhere, with 7,500 strong Indian community making up for some 30 per cent of the town’s population. Cricket is popular in the town, and the younger generation is very familiar with local Indian snacks like ‘sonpapdi,’ ‘gulab jamun,’ ‘papri chaat,’ ‘bhelpuri,’ which several shops sell.
Iran-Israel war LIVE Updates: Open Hormuz or will destroy power plants, Trump threatens Iran
Israeli soldiers work at the scene of damage after Iranian missile barrages struck residential buildings in Arad, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in southern Israel, March 22, 2026. REUTERS
Cairo: Iranian missiles struck two communities in southern Israel late on Saturday, leaving buildings shattered and dozens injured in dual attacks not far from Israel’s main nuclear research centre, while President Donald Trump warned the US will “obliterate” Iranian power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Trump — who is facing increasing pressure at home to secure the strait as oil prices soar — issued the ultimatum in a social media post while he spent the weekend at his Florida home.
Trump said he’s giving Iran 48 hours to open the vital waterway or face a new round of attacks. He said the US would destroy “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
The Iranian strikes in Israel came after Tehran’s main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz was hit earlier in the day.
Israel’s military said it was not able to intercept missiles that hit the southern cities of Dimona and Arad, the largest near the centre in Israel’s sparsely populated Negev desert. It was the first time Iranian missiles penetrated Israel’s air defence systems in the area around the nuclear site.
“If the Israeli regime is unable to intercept missiles in the heavily protected Dimona area, it is, operationally, a sign of entering a new phase of the battle,” Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X before word of the Arad strike spread.
Projectile hits close to a vessel off UAE coast
March 22, 2026 11:05 am
Cairo: A projectile struck close to a bulk carrier off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, causing an explosion, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said early on Sunday. The attack occurred about 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah in the UAE. The UKMTO said the ship’s crew was safe. AP
Saudi air defenses intercept missiles, drones
March 22, 2026 11:04 am
Cairo: Air defences early on Sunday tracked the launch of three ballistic missiles towards Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, intercepting one, while the other two fell in an uninhabited area, according to the Defence Ministry. The ministry said it downed six drones headed towards the kingdom’s eastern region, one of its least densely populated areas near Iran and home to major oil installations. No casualties or damage were immediately reported. AP
Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants clash in Lebanon
March 22, 2026 10:13 am
Cairo: Israel’s military said it was conducting a “targeted ground operation” in southern Lebanon and at least four militants were killed. Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with troops in the southern village of Khiam. Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government. Hezbollah’s civilian assets also have been targeted. AP
Global pressure increases to get shipping back on track
March 22, 2026 10:11 am
Cairo: As Iran threatens shipping on the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates joined 21 other countries including the UK, Germany, France and Japan in expressing “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage”. The Trump administration announced it was temporarily lifting sanctions on Iranian oil that was already loaded on ships as of Friday, but that does not increase oil production, a central factor in surging prices. The oil ministry of Iran, which has evaded sanctions for years, replied that it “essentially has no crude oil left in floating storage”. AP
US can use Diego Garcia base to protect Strait of Hormuz
March 22, 2026 10:11 am
Cairo: UK officials did not give details of the strike that targeted the Diego Garcia base on Friday, which was unsuccessful. Britain’s Ministry of Defence described Iran as “lashing out across the region”. It’s unclear how close the missiles came to the island. Iran previously asserted that it has limited its missile range to below 2,000 kilometres. But military experts said Iran may have used its space launch vehicle for an improvised firing. “If you’ve got a space program, you’ve got a ballistic missile program,” said Steve Prest, a retired Royal Navy commodore. AP
Israel had denied responsibility for attack on Natanz
March 22, 2026 10:09 am
Cairo: Israel on Saturday denied responsibility for the strike on the Natanz nuclear facility, nearly 220 kilometres southeast of Tehran. The Iranian judiciary’s official news agency, Mizan, said there was no leakage. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said the bulk of Iran’s estimated 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium is elsewhere, beneath the rubble at its Isfahan facility. It said on X it was looking into the strike. The Pentagon declined to comment on the strike on Natanz, which was also hit in the first week of the war and in the 12-day war last June. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said such strikes posed a “real risk of catastrophic disaster throughout the Middle East”. Iran retaliated hours later. AP
A dangerous new direction in the war
March 22, 2026 8:55 am
Cairo: “The war is not close to ending,” Israel’s army chief, Gen Eyal Zamir, said. Iran also targeted the joint UK-US Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean about 2,500 miles away, suggesting that Tehran has missiles that can go farther than previously acknowledged – or that it had used its space program for an improvised launch. The US and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran’s leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs and its support for armed proxies. There have been no signs of an uprising, while internet restrictions limit information from Iran. The war’s effects are felt far beyond the Middle East, raising food and fuel prices. AP
Col Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was due to retire on March 31
The scheduled retirement of Col Shrikant Purohit has been kept in abeyance by the Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). Col Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was due to retire on March 31.
The Bench, comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Chairperson Rasika Chaube, directed that his retirement be put on hold until the Army decides his pending statutory complaint seeking due promotion.
“We direct that till a decision on the statutory complaint, the applicant’s retirement shall be kept in abeyance,” the order issued on March 16 said.
Col Purohit has argued that he is entitled to promotion to the rank of Brigadier on a par with his juniors who were elevated while he was facing a criminal trial. If promoted to Brigadier, he would be eligible to serve until March 31, 2028.
Purohit was arrested in 2008 and was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2017, after which he was allowed to resume duties. The trial continued before a special NIA court in Mumbai, which acquitted him on July 31, 2025.
He contended that, following his acquittal, an otherwise unblemished service of over 20 years would end adversely if he is made to retire without due consideration for promotion. He sought a stay on his retirement until his statutory complaint is decided or his case for promotion is considered on a par with his juniors.
It was argued that even after excellent ACRs earned by Col Purohit, his case for promotion was not considered.
The matter is now listed for May 22.
Promote superseded JCO retrospectively, reinstate him in Army: Armed Forces Tribunal
AFT’s Chandigarh Bench rules earlier unwillingness for service extension does not affect promotion; JCO to be retrospectively promoted from October 2024 with reinstatement and all benefits
Holding that an earlier certificate showing unwillingness for extension in service has no bearing on a subsequent promotion board that may increase the retirement age, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has directed the Army to promote a retired junior commissioned officer (JCO) retrospectively from the date his juniors were elevated and reinstate him in service with all consequential benefits.
A Naib Subedar from the Artillery was part of the Annual Unit Promotion Board for Naib Subedar to Subedar during the year 2024, which was signed by the presiding officer on August 31, 2024 and approved by Artillery Records on September 19, 2024.
The results of the board were never disclosed to the applicant and on October 31, 2024, he was discharged from service on completion of his engagement period as he had refused a two years’ extension of service in 2023.
Later, in January 2025, personnel junior to him were promoted to the rank of Subedar with effect from January 27, 2025. One of them was granted ante-dated seniority from October 22, 2024.
Counsel for the applicant, Gurpreet Singh averred that before the date of his superannuation, a vacancy was existing and this post could have gone to the applicant and he could have been promoted before his discharge. He could have also changed his option for extension of service.
The Army contended that due to non-availability of vacancy, the applicant was not promoted and was struck of strength after completion of his terms of engagement, as per his present rank of Naib Subedar because he was unwilling for further extension of two years of service. He would have been promoted to the rank of Subedar if he had given his willingness for extension of two years of service.
The Tribunal’s Chandigarh Bench comprising Justice Umesh Chandra Sharma and Air Marshal Manavendra Singh observed that the unwillingness certificate submitted by the applicant is dated February 7, 2023 and had no bearing on the promotion board conducted during August 2024.
Despite meeting the promotion criterion, the applicant was neither informed about his fitness for promotion to the post of Subedar nor was he promoted before his retirement.
“Denial of promotion to the rank of Subedar to the applicant cannot be justified by any logic and the applicant is liable to be promoted to the rank of Subedar with effect from 22.10.2024 along with extension of service by two years by creating a supernumerary post, if necessary,” the Bench ruled while placing reliance of earlier High Court judgements in similar matters.
“We direct the respondents to promote the applicant to the rank of Subedar and grant him extension of service for two years wherein he will be deemed to have been promoted with effect from 22.10.2024 and superannuate in the rank of Subedar on 31.10.2026, if not promoted further. Consequently, the respondents are also directed to process the case of the applicant for his reinstatement in service,” the Bench said.
BRO facing officer shortage of over 32 per cent: Parliamentary panel
Minister of Defence, India, Rajnath Singh. PTI Photo.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), tasked with the construction and maintenance of critical infrastructure along the country’s frontiers, is grappling with a shortage of officers by over 32 per cent
The Steel of the 14th Army: Honoring the Indian Heroes of the Burma Campaign By Maj Gen Harvijay Singh, SM
In the sweltering heat of March 1945, the fate of Southeast Asia hung in the balance. The British Fourteenth Army, often called the ‘Forgotten Army’, was locked in the longest and bloodiest campaign of World War II. At the heart of this struggle were the Indian Infantry Divisions, whose ethos and traditions were forged in the crucible of places like Kohima, Imphal, and the Irrawaddy crossing.
While the world’s eyes were often fixed on the Western Front, a specialized and brutal brand of warfare was unfolding in the jungles of Burma. It was here that the 17th Infantry Division spearheaded the capture of Meiktila, a decisive operational center. Among their ranks, the 4th Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment stood as a titan of combat, suffering 921 casualties and earning two Victoria Crosses in a single month.
The Lone Charge of Naik Gian Singh
On March 2, 1945, the 17th Division’s assault on Meiktila was stalled. Hidden Japanese foxholes, concealed behind dense cactus hedges, had pinned down the advancing platoon.
Naik Gian Singh, seeing his comrades trapped, did not wait for orders. Armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, he charged the enemy positions alone. Despite being wounded in the arm, he continued his momentum, lobbing grenades into weapon pits and clearing trenches with lethal efficiency.
When a Japanese anti-tank gun opened fire on the supporting tanks, Singh charged again. He neutralized the entire crew and captured the gun single-handedly. By the time his section cleared the cactus-lined lanes, twenty Japanese bodies lay in their wake. For this ‘outstanding display of courage,’ Gian Singh was awarded the Victoria Cross. He survived the war, later fighting in both 1962 and 1965 for independent India, retiring as an Honorary Captain.
The Final Sacrifice of Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge
Two weeks later, on March 18, the struggle for Meiktila continued near a vital cotton mill. Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, a 21-year-old platoon commander from Kapurthala, was leading the charge.
The assault was halted by heavy machine-gun fire from bunkers invisible to the supporting tanks. In an act of cold, calculated bravery, Judge repeatedly walked through heavy fire to direct the tanks toward their targets. He personally led the infantry charges that eliminated ten bunkers. At one point, he was charged by two Japanese soldiers with fixed bayonets; he killed both at a distance of a mere ten yards.
As he was mopping up the final nest of bunkers, a light machine gun opened fire, mortally wounding him in the chest. Lieutenant Judge was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
A Legacy in Peril
The history of these two men represents the pinnacle of Indian military valor, yet their legacies are drifting into the shadows of time.
Soldier
Award
Current Location of Medal
Naik Gian Singh
Victoria Cross
Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Scotland
Lt. Karamjeet Singh Judge
Victoria Cross
Unknown
Today, Naik Gian Singh’s medal is preserved in Glasgow, while the whereabouts of Lieutenant Judge’s Victoria Cross remain a mystery. More poignant is the silence in their homelands. In Kapurthala and Nawanshahr, there are no busts, no memorials, and no squares named after these men who stood at the center of the 20th century’s greatest conflict.
To value our future, we must first value our past. The courage of the 15th Punjab Regiment in March 1945 is not just a chapter in a history book; it is the very foundation of the modern soldier’s spirit.
Raghav Chadda of AAP Panjab on Disability Pension Taxation in RS
The Israeli Air Force has conducted a significant airstrike operation in Tehran, targeting key command centres and infrastructure linked to Iran’s military apparatus.
This wide-scale attack, announced on 18 March 2026, marks a bold escalation in the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran.
The operation took place on Tuesday and was directed by Military Intelligence, according to an official statement from the Israeli Air Force posted on X. Pilots struck command centres operated by what Israel terms the “Iranian terror regime,” alongside sites integral to its ballistic missile array and supporting infrastructure.
Aerial reconnaissance imagery released by the Israeli military depicts a sprawling industrial complex in Tehran, featuring warehouses and administrative structures. A highlighted section in the photograph pinpoints the precise target zone, underscoring the precision of the strikes.
Among the confirmed hits was the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards’ security unit, which handles protests and public order in Iran. This facility plays a central role in suppressing domestic dissent, making it a high-value target in Israel’s strategic calculus.
The Israeli Air Force also neutralised a maintenance centre belonging to the Logistics and General Support Division of Iran’s Internal Security Forces. Another key strike targeted the headquarters of Iran’s ballistic missile array, aiming to disrupt production and deployment capabilities.
Several Iranian air defence systems were attacked during the mission, with the goal of bolstering Israeli air superiority over Iranian airspace. This move expands operational freedom for future incursions and signals a degradation of Tehran’s defensive posture.
Israel framed the strikes as part of a broader phase to inflict “deepening damage” on the core elements of Iran’s military regime. The operation represents a calculated response to mounting threats from Tehran, amid heightened regional tensions.
This Israeli action follows a major offensive by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which launched over 100 missiles at targets in Tel Aviv. Iranian state media, Press TV, described the assault as the “61st wave” of “Operation True Promise 4,” executed in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Tehran portrayed the IRGC strikes as vengeance for “unprovoked American-Israeli aggression.” The barrage employed advanced weaponry, including multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles, according to Press TV reports.
The IRGC claimed its missiles penetrated Israeli defences without hindrance, striking more than 100 military and security sites in the “occupied territories.” This assertion highlights Iran’s narrative of overwhelming superiority, contrasting sharply with Israel’s account of resilient air defences.
Field reports cited by Press TV indicated a partial blackout in Tel Aviv, complicating ground operations and rescue efforts. The IRGC boasted of over 230 casualties inflicted across the campaign, including deaths and injuries, though independent verification remains elusive.
Beyond Tel Aviv, Iranian strikes reportedly reached al-Quds (Jerusalem), the port of Haifa, Be’er Sheva, and sites in the Negev Desert. American outposts in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia also faced reprisals, broadening the conflict’s scope.
The tit-for-tat exchanges underscore a dangerous spiral of escalation between Israel and Iran, with both sides leveraging advanced missile technologies. Israel’s precision strikes on Tehran aim to erode Iran’s offensive infrastructure, while the IRGC’s massed salvos test multilayered defences.
As the dust settles, the strikes reveal vulnerabilities on both fronts: Iran’s air defences appear compromised, yet its missile arsenal remains potent. Regional allies, including US bases, are now drawn into the fray, raising fears of wider involvement.
The death of Ali Larijani catalysed Iran’s response, framing it as a defence of national honour. His role in Iran’s security apparatus made him a symbolic target, intensifying Tehran’s resolve.
Israel’s operation, meanwhile, demonstrates evolving tactics, blending intelligence-driven targeting with air dominance. The release of visual evidence serves both operational debrief and psychological warfare purposes.
Looking ahead, these events could precipitate further reprisals or diplomatic manoeuvres. With Iran’s “True Promise 4” ongoing, Israel may prepare additional waves to maintain pressure on Tehran’s military foundations.
The conflict’s expansion to Gulf states complicates alliances, as US facilities bear the brunt of Iranian fury. This dynamic tests longstanding partnerships and could reshape Middle Eastern security alignments.
The Israeli airstrikes in Tehran and Iran’s missile barrage on Israel epitomise a high-stakes proxy war turning direct. Both nations claim tactical victories, but the human and strategic costs mount rapidly.
China Ramps Up Stealth Fighter Production With J-20, J-35 Jets
Commercial satellite imagery reveals that China’s Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has significantly expanded its manufacturing facilities for advanced military aircraft, particularly the fifth-generation J-20 and J-35 stealth fighters, reported Flight Global.
Analyst J Michael Dahm from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies presented these findings at the 2026 Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, highlighting a surge in production capacity.
Since 2021, AVIC has added 278,700 square metres of manufacturing space at the Chengdu plant, where five J-20 production lines are now operational. This expansion supports an estimated output of 100 J-20s annually, with some assessments, including from the Royal United Services Institute, placing 2025 production at 120 aircraft.
The J-20, a twin-engined canard-delta fighter, serves as China’s counterpart to the Lockheed Martin F-22, emphasising air superiority roles. Imagery from Planet Labs underpins Dahm’s analysis, demonstrating how commercial satellites are revolutionising unclassified military intelligence.
This Chengdu J-20 exemplifies the stealth design driving China’s expanded production efforts.
Parallel developments at Shenyang include a new factory spanning over 370,000 square metres, complete with a 3,660-metre runway, poised for J-35 and J-35A assembly. The J-35 targets naval and air force needs, mirroring the F-35’s multirole capabilities, with low-rate production already underway.
Changhe Aircraft Industries is expanding by 93,000 square metres, a 30% capacity increase for helicopters including attack and heavy-lift types. Across Chengdu, Shenyang, and Changhe, AVIC is adding over 743,000 square metres—exceeding the F-35’s Fort Worth complex in scale.
Shenyang’s existing lines continue producing fourth-generation J-15 and J-16 fighters, which are essential copies of Soviet era Sukhoi fighters. Dahm forecasts AVIC reaching 300-400 fourth- and fifth-generation fighters per year starting next year, with a minimum of 250 annually.
By comparison, Lockheed Martin assembles 156 F-35s yearly, F-16s at up to 48 (though only 16 delivered in 2024-2025), Boeing aims for 24 F-15EXs, and Dassault delivered 26 Rafales in 2025, targeting 44. Lockheed’s CEO James Taiclet maintains Western quality edges, noting F-35 superiority over the J-20 despite volume disparities.
China’s output surge could yield the world’s largest fighter fleet by 2029, alongside carrier expansions and carrier-based air operations maturity. Emerging designs like the tailless, three-engined J-36 spotted in Chengdu and the thrust-vectoring J-50/J-XDS over Shenyang signal sixth-generation pursuits.
A Xinjiang test base, dubbed “China’s Area 51,” has doubled with 5,570 square metres of hangars and 27,800 square metres of facilities added recently. Satellite images captured the J-50 there in September 2025, possibly a deliberate reveal to divert attention from broader expansions.
Further, 20 hectares north of Chengdu’s plant have been cleared, potentially for sixth-generation production or more J-20 lines. This aligns with preparations for Taiwan contingencies within the 2027 “Davidson Window,” as INDOPACOM notes PLA rehearsals.
Based on assessments from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively increasing its operational tempo, with military activity around Taiwan interpreted as “rehearsals” rather than mere exercises. These activities align with a widely cited strategic timeframe known as the “Davidson Window,” which refers to the period leading up to 2027, by which Chinese leader Xi Jinping has reportedly instructed the PLA to be capable of seizing Taiwan by force, if ordered.
Beyond Taiwan, Dahm anticipates global power projection, with Chinese air forces challenging beyond the Strait. These developments unfold amid US focus on the Strait of Hormuz, where air campaigns against Iran underscore air power’s roles and limits.
Flight Global
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