- 6/17/2025
The big focus of this episode of To The Point is the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. On day five of the conflict, Israel continues to strike Iranian military assets and nuclear facilities, claiming the Iranian military leadership is on the run.
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00:01Well and welcome you as you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhry. We're going to get you the latest coming in where the Israel-Iran conflict comes into question. But first up, allow me to take you through the headlines.
00:14US President Trump leaves G7 summit midway. Issues big warning asks people to leave Tehran immediately. White House war room awaits Trump.
00:24India's massive evacuation drive in Iran underway. Indian medical students taken to safety. 110 students escorted into Armenia.
00:37Prime Minister Modi is in Canada's Calgary for G7 summit. Prime Minister leads India's voice at G7 summit to hold talks with Canada, France and Italy.
00:48Technical snag grounds at least four Air India flights. Air India, Ahmedabad, London flight, Delhi, Paris, London, Amritsar flight impacted.
01:05Unseen video of the plane crash on India today. Scary images of plane crash aftermath. Buildings on fire. Students jump to safety.
01:13Free monsoon shower in national capital brings relief from the ongoing heat wave. Water logging in several parts of Delhi reported.
01:26All right viewers, as I speak, the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifying.
01:43Israel continues to strike Iran, claiming the remaining Iran military leadership is on the run. All of this amidst US warning to Iran to give up entirely. There is no nuclear deal on the table for the Iranian regime.
02:08G7 has also unanimously backed Israel's right to defend itself. Here's more.
02:13Israel and Iran are on the brink of a big escalation.
02:28Two loud explosions were heard in Tehran on Tuesday morning. Israel has warned that it will attack most significant targets in Tehran today.
02:47Latest images released by Israel showed strikes on F-14 fighter jets in a Tehran airport.
02:58Apart from strikes on trucks containing weapons and launchers on the way to Tehran.
03:04Israel has also asserted that its decision not to target Iran's nuclear facility in Fordow so far does not mean it won't in the future.
03:14Israel has dealt another deadly blow to Iran after laying majority of Iranian military top brass to waste just days ago.
03:24The Israeli Defense Forces eliminated Ali Shadmani, Iran's newly appointed wartime chief of staff.
03:31Shadmani was the most senior military commander and the closest figure to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
03:37His predecessor Hossein Salami was killed just days ago by Israel in a similar strike.
03:44Tonight, following accurate intelligence received by the intelligence branch, we eliminated Ali Shadmani, the war chief of staff, the most senior military commander of the Iranian regime.
03:58Shadmani only managed to hold the position for four days and we also eliminated him.
04:05We will pursue our enemies again and again using advanced intelligence capabilities, exploiting opportunities, air superiority and complex operational planning.
04:14Israeli Defense Minister Israel Khamenei has issued an open warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei claiming he could end up like Saddam Hussein.
04:26I warned the Iranian dictator from continuing to commit war crimes and fire missiles at Israeli citizens.
04:33He should remember what happened to the dictator in the country neighboring Iran who took this path against the state of Israel.
04:39We will continue today as well to operate against regime targets and military targets in Tehran, as we did against the propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority.
04:49Israeli fighter jets also launched a wave of targeted air strikes deep into Iranian territory, including a shocking strike on Iran's state broadcaster headquarters in Tehran during a live transmission.
05:10The anchor on air was seen scrambling for cover as fire engulfed the studio.
05:16Flames consumed the building and the aftermath was nothing short of catastrophic.
05:27A senior reporter for Iran's IRIB news agency stood outside the burning headquarters with hands stained with blood.
05:36This appalling attack constitute a blatant war crime and a direct assault on press freedom.
05:49The Israeli regime has once again demonstrated that it is the foremost enemy of truth.
05:55It holds the disgraceful record of being the world's leading perpetrator of violence against journalists and media professionals.
06:08Iran too is hitting back with a wave of ballistic missile strikes on Israel.
06:12An Iranian defense ministry spokesman has claimed that Israel will be defeated in the coming days.
06:18The Zionist enemy does not have the possibility of resisting and enduring a long war.
06:26And therefore, this regime will be defeated in this imposed war.
06:30In a strategic sense, there is no possibility of resisting a Turan war.
06:39Are Israel and Iran now at a point of no return?
06:44Bureau Report, India Today.
06:46What we do know right now is that the conflict is deeply rooted in a multifaceted geopolitical struggle,
06:56which once again involves ideology, security concerns, regional power dynamics.
07:01Will it escalate?
07:03Will it spiral in the region?
07:05All those questions that we will get answers to through the course of the next 25 minutes.
07:10I have in the studio with me senior journalist, consulting editor in India today, Sandeep Unithan.
07:15While we are standing at the precipice of what Sandeep is clear escalation,
07:20I want to take our viewers through on what would be the might in terms of weaponry
07:25where Iran faces off with Israel.
07:28So a military comparison, and maybe you can also weigh in on this.
07:33Iran's entire population, about 88 million, while Israel is just about 9 million.
07:37Iran's military budget is about 10 billion, and Israel's military budget is 24 billion.
07:43Include, of course, U.S. aid.
07:46Iran's active personnel, about 6,10,000.
07:49Israel's 1,69,500.
07:52Iran's reserve personnel, 3,50,000.
07:55Israel's reserve personnel, 4,65,000.
07:58Iran's paramilitary forces are 2,20,000.
08:02Israel's paramilitary forces, 8,000.
08:05On one hand, Iran has about 10,500 tanks, and Israel has about 400 artillery guns.
08:10With Iran, 6,800.
08:12And Israel's just 530 armored vehicles.
08:15Iran, 640.
08:16Israel stands at about 1,190 naval vessels.
08:20Iran's 17, which includes submarines, 68 patrol, 7 corvettes.
08:25Israel, 5 submarines and about 49 patrol boats.
08:28Ballistic missiles.
08:30Iran, 12 type range, up to about 2,000 kilometers.
08:33Israel, Jericho at about 4,800 to 6,500 kilometer range.
08:39This is an important one.
08:41This could probably be that red line, and I'll get Sandeep to weigh in on this.
08:45Nuclear capability.
08:46Officially, Iran has none.
08:47Well, Israel officially has none, but it's an open secret, undeclared estimate of about 80 to 90 warheads.
08:54Air defense, Iran, mixed Russian-Iranian systems.
08:58Israel, multi-layered iron dome, David sling, Arrow 3.
09:02Sandeep, would you, somewhere down the line, you know, delve into these figures that we put out for our viewers,
09:07just in terms of weaponry and artillery comparison between Iran and Israel, and how does it pan out on ground and layman terms?
09:14Well, you know, Preeti, you didn't add the point that both these countries are separated by over 1,000 kilometers.
09:21They don't have a border.
09:23So this is, again, you know, coming back to my point that this is one of the most bizarre conflicts in the world,
09:28where you have two countries that are separated by two other countries.
09:31They have Syria and Iraq in between them, and they're fighting this war that's on for almost a week now.
09:37They're hurling ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, and fighter aircraft at each other.
09:43And this is one of the strangest conflicts that we've witnessed.
09:47And, you know, about the military forces on both sides,
09:51Iran's military has not seen any significant additions to its fighter fleet or its warships or even its tanks in a long time.
10:00Its fighter aircraft date back to the 1970s, almost five decades old, from the time of the Shah of Iran.
10:06They've not got any worthwhile aircraft.
10:08They have an air force only in name of about 300 aircraft.
10:13But they've tried to offset the lack of an air force and a substantial navy by inducting ballistic missiles,
10:20cruise missiles, and drones in very large numbers.
10:23They have thousands of ballistic missiles.
10:26Their estimates range from between 3,000 to 10,000.
10:30They have drones in their millions.
10:32In fact, they're so good at drones that the Russian Federation has been buying drones from Iran,
10:37and Iran has helped set up drone factories inside Russia when it's fighting Ukraine.
10:43So they're very good at drones.
10:44They're good at cruise missiles and, of course, ballistic missiles.
10:47They've been targeting Israel over the last few days with hypersonic ballistic missiles.
10:52We've seen those visuals, some terrifying visuals coming out of Haifa yesterday of hypersonic missile attacks
10:59that have gone right through Israel's air defense network.
11:03So here you have Israel that's been targeting Iran relentlessly over the last five days using its air force.
11:11Israel has one of the world's best air forces, Preeti.
11:14It is literally second to none, and they carry out the kind of missions that even the U.S. Air Force would think twice about doing.
11:23So you have Israeli Air Force jets flying over 1,000 kilometers one way, attacking targets inside Iran and then flying back.
11:31And they have neutralized all of Iran's air defenses, which is their ground-based air defenses, which primarily comprise of surface-to-air missiles.
11:39All of those have been neutralized to a large extent using drones that were launched from within Iran's territory.
11:46That's something that they seem to have picked up from Ukraine.
11:50That is, to create these little drone bases inside of Iran through which they attacked Iranian air defense sites.
11:57So that is one reason that Israeli fighter jets are operating with near impunity over Iranian air space.
12:04They've got complete air dominance today.
12:07They can fly all the way from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea.
12:11That's the Israeli fighter jets.
12:12You know, Sandeep, I'm just coming in.
12:14And to give our viewers perspective here, because earlier on in the meeting, to simplify it in layman terms,
12:18Sandeep, in the meeting he was actually telling us that Israel jets have to fly, what, a distance from here to Bengaluru to even reach Iran?
12:25Absolutely.
12:26You know, they have to fly thousands of kilometers, something like 1,400 kilometers on a one-way mission to strike at, you know, Iran, Iranian territory.
12:37And then they not only have to drop their ordnance there, but they have to spend some time on target and then fly back.
12:42So these Israeli pilots, they're flying missions that could be upwards of 3,000 kilometers both ways.
12:50So they're being refueled in the air and they're flying back.
12:53And, you know, on the first day, Preeti, the Israelis attacked Iran on Friday, last Friday, with something like 200 fighter jets.
13:02That's almost the size of the entire Iranian air force.
13:05The Iranian air force has got about 300, 350 fighter jets.
13:08Not all of them are operational, but the Israelis have got some of the best fighter jets.
13:14They have F-16s, they have F-15s, they have F-35s, and all of these aircraft types were deployed over Iran to carry out those precision strikes,
13:23precision strikes, decapitation strikes, attacking leadership targets, attacking the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and, you know, several nuclear sites as well.
13:35So it is Israeli jets operating with near impunity.
13:39Like I mentioned, it's almost flying distances like Delhi to Bangalore one way and spending time on target and then flying back and then doing that day after day after day.
13:48So their jets, their fighter jets should be going through incredible wear and tear, Preeti.
13:53Right.
13:54This is likely to continue for several more days.
13:56You know, Sandeep, hold on to that thought.
13:57I just want to bring in my colleague, you know, senior journalist Pranay Upadhyaya as well, who's been covering the conflict very closely.
14:02But I will circle back to you, Sandeep, and maybe we can talk a bit about what kind of escalation, because we're definitely looking at escalation.
14:09Now, what is that escalation? Is that a red line? What is that red line that could be crossed?
14:13We'll delve a little deeper on that, but the impact of what is happening in this region between Iran and Israel resonating all the way in Canada where the G7 summit is taking place.
14:23And Pranay, you can come in because I want to take our viewers through on what really happened in the escalating West Asia conflict.
14:30The G7 nations have now backed Israel's right to defend itself.
14:33U.S. President Donald Trump, who left the G7 summit early, all of that amidst the rising conflict, said the only way for the war to end in Iran is giving up entirely.
14:45Trump added U.S. will not allow Iran to own nuclear weapons and that America is not looking for a ceasefire between the two countries.
14:52And that's important to underline that America is not looking for a ceasefire between the two countries.
14:58What does that really mean? The G7 nations also released a statement condemning Iran's nuclear push.
15:04The leaders also called Iran a source of terror and regional instability.
15:09Let's listen in. All the reactions are coming in from the G7 summit in Canada.
15:13We cut across to Pranay Sandeep, who continues to be in the studio with me.
15:17What specifically is better than a ceasefire? What are you looking for here?
15:23An end. A real end, not a ceasefire. An end.
15:26So something that will be permanent?
15:28Yeah. Or giving up entirely.
15:32Is that okay, too? Are you closer? Are you possible? Is that possible next 24? Why not?
15:37Certainly possible.
15:39I've spoken to everybody. What will you say?
15:42Israel is doing very well, as you probably noticed. And I gave Iran 60 days. And they said no. And the 61st, you saw what happened. Day 61. So I'm in constant touch. And as I've been saying, I think a deal will be signed or something will happen. But a deal will be signed.
16:07And I think Iran is foolish not to sign one. Iran basically is at the negotiating table. They want to make a deal. And as soon as I leave here, we're going to be doing something. But I have to leave here. I have, you know, this commitment. I have a lot of commitments. I have a commitment to a lot of countries.
16:23I want to see no nuclear weapon in Iran. And we're well on our way to making sure that happens.
16:29There's shared concern about the risk of escalation, obviously. Shared concern about the nuclear program of Iran. But absolutely a focus on how we de-escalate this. And that'll be a central focus as we go into the talks today. Get that de-escalation.
16:48And of course, all of us are giving advice to our citizens for British nationals in Israel.
16:53Iran is the principal source of regional instability. And we've always been very clear. Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
17:04We have voiced our strong concerns over Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program.
17:11A diplomatic solution remains the best way in the long run to address concerns about Iran's nuclear program.
17:20And Europe remains committed to finding a lasting solution through a negotiated deal.
17:27All right. You know, Prane, I want to bring you in, you know, give us an understanding because, of course, what is going on in terms of the conflict in West Asia reflecting at the G7 summit.
17:38The U.S. president has left the summit early, citing the conflict there. And now what we are actually looking at is possible escalation.
17:46What role is U.S. going to play in all of this? Because what seems to be, at least right now, an understanding that there is no off-ramp or an attempt for ceasefire right now.
17:57That's not happening anytime soon.
17:59Absolutely right, Priti. But if you see, if you parse all these statements, one thing is very clear.
18:04There is a consistent statement which is coming from all these Western Bloc countries, including the United States, that no way they can let Iran have nuclear weapons.
18:13That is the same which Israel is also making and that is the pretext on which they have launched their Air Force operations, taking forward Sandeep's point.
18:21This is a very unique operation carried out by the Israeli Air Force because they are not only travelling to 1,500 kilometres carrying out these operations,
18:30they have already taken out the air defence systems of Israel and making Iran very vulnerable.
18:36So, at this juncture, there is a fear of escalation because if the United States jump into this conflict, because the very idea of denuclearising Iran,
18:46that is only possible for Israel with the help of the United States.
18:50Because the B-2 stealth bomber, the B-2 spirit bombers which the United States has and which has like, you know, the ammunition, the MOP bomb which they have,
19:00that is the only mean with which they can denuclearise Iran because that is required to decimate or to destroy the facilities like Fado.
19:08Do U.S. want to go about that? Do they really want to join Israel in this campaign?
19:14We are yet to see about that, Preeti, because President Donald Trump is back in White House.
19:18He is likely to hold a situation room meeting along with his commanders and his security advisers.
19:23There are indications that U.S. might want to help.
19:27And as far as the ceasefire is concerned, Preeti, I would want to make it a point here that if you see,
19:32some of the Western countries, some of the European countries are making a pitch for the ceasefire, de-escalation.
19:38But what did President Donald Trump say?
19:40He said that Israel is doing good and no way they can let Iran have nuclear weapons.
19:46So if the central line, if the basic idea is to denuclearise Iran, how that is happening, how that can happen.
19:54And if U.S. has to join, how far that campaign would go?
19:57Because Israel is also asking for the regime change in Iran.
20:00So will there be a regime change? Will there be another Iraq?
20:03It is going to be a very messy situation.
20:05And we, as in India, have our own concern because this is not far from India.
20:10And we have our interest in Iran, we have our investment in Shabar, we have our people in Iran.
20:16We are in the process of that evacuation operation, taking out our people from Iran.
20:20But definitely this is going to be very messy if U.S. and Israel want to have both denuclearising Iran.
20:26You know, just coming in and the reason I am coming in is where do we stand in terms of evacuation?
20:31How many Indian citizens right now are stranded where Iran is concerned?
20:34How many have we been able to get up?
20:37A very valid question, Preeti, here, because we have our own concern vis-Ă -vis this escalating situation
20:43and tension in West Asia, especially in Iran.
20:45We have about 10,000 people in Iran.
20:47Some of them are resident there, they are working there.
20:50But around 2,000 is the number of Indian students, those who are studying in various medical universities of Iran.
20:57They are the priority.
20:59Also the priority is to get people out from Tehran.
21:02Because the capital of Iran is the primary target which is being targeted by the Israeli Air Force
21:06and that's why a large number of people have been already taken out.
21:10People have been shifted to a city called Qom in Iran.
21:14And from there people have been taken to the various border points.
21:17Around 110 individuals and around 110 Indians have been, you know, made to cross over to Armenia.
21:23And they are now safely reached the Yerven, which is the capital of Armenia.
21:29And another batch is likely to cross over via Turkmenistan border.
21:33Because Ashgabad, which is the capital of Turkmenistan, has, you know, is closer to the border, Iran-Turkmenistan border.
21:39So that is also being worked out.
21:41But also people are being taken on safer, to safer places, which are like slightly, like, which are away from the conflict zone.
21:49Because Tehran, Isfahan and all these cities are the primary target where the military establishments are there,
21:54where the nuclear facilities are there.
21:56All right, so word of course now also coming in that there have been fresh strikes where Tehran is concerned.
22:00But stay with me, Praneh. I want to just bring in Sandeep there.
22:02Because from what Praneh said, you know, the kind of commentary that is coming in,
22:08especially from the G7, from America, Sandeep, it does look that we are definitely standing at the precipice of escalation.
22:15Now what that might be is the big question.
22:17This war is not going to remain limited.
22:20There's definitely going to be a spiraling of it.
22:23Now, will it be regional, global, in what context?
22:26What are the red lines?
22:27Well, Preeti, the red line here is actually an attack by Iran on U.S. basis in and around West Asia.
22:35There are something like nine U.S. bases in West Asia and different countries,
22:39UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq.
22:43All of these countries have U.S. bases.
22:47There's something like 50,000 U.S. personnel on all of these bases.
22:51And that is a red line.
22:53If Iran were to attack any of those bases, that would be a very big red line.
22:57And my hunch is that all of these forces are being moved into the region
23:01to exactly prevent Iran from carrying out an attack like this.
23:05If Iran and the regime are fighting with their back to the wall,
23:09as you mentioned, they're literally alone.
23:11There's nobody who's supporting them overtly.
23:13The GCC countries are just standing by quietly.
23:16Russia and China are not saying anything significant.
23:19Iran is actually bearing the brunt of all of these attacks from Israel by itself.
23:24And, of course, the U.S. could join in very rapidly.
23:28And if Iran crosses that line, Preeti, and attacks U.S. bases,
23:33targeting U.S. servicemen, that would be a very, very big red line.
23:36No support, Sandeep, you say, but what about Iran proxies, the Hezbollah?
23:39How much will that weigh in?
23:41Hezbollah has been decapitated as of last year by the pager bomb attacks.
23:45They are in no shape to fight.
23:46Syria, Assad is gone.
23:48It used to be a very important Iranian ally.
23:51The Houthis are where they are, way down in Yemen, thousands of kilometers south.
23:56They can't do much.
23:57There's no one who can really come to Iran's assistance right now.
24:01Which is why the regime is in a very, very tough situation.
24:05So is that, Praneh, you know, what you're picking up, Sandeep?
24:07I'm sorry I'm coming in and maybe, you know, you can come in.
24:09I want to bring in Shivani as well.
24:11So with what Sandeep says, are we actually looking right now, at least with all indications on ground and the global voices that we see speak, where the G7 summit is concerned, the president going back, leaving it, keeping in mind the conflict, that we could actually be even looking at a forced regime change?
24:28Are we looking at that right now, Sandeep?
24:30You think that could be on the cards?
24:32I'm looking at two possible options based on what Donald Trump just said.
24:36He said the end, right?
24:37He said that they were pushing for the end.
24:39Now, what does the end mean?
24:40What does he mean by the end?
24:42Is it a regime change or is it the end of Iranian nuclear weapons program?
24:47Or is it both?
24:48The fact is that if you take out the regime, that means the end of the nuclear weapons program, the Iranian nuclear weapons program.
24:55Praneh, you want to weigh in on that?
24:56Definitely, Priti.
24:57I want to make a point here that, you know, why at this juncture that Israel is already engaged in a conflict in West Asia with Hamas, with Gaza, with Hezbollah, with Houthis.
25:07But still, to have a peaceful neighborhood, it is not possible because all these, you know, proxies were being assisted.
25:14They have been held and they have been supported by Iran.
25:16Israel has been trying to and letting U.S. to have some solution.
25:20The previous regime, previous administration, the Biden administration, they have worked with them.
25:24But there is no end to it.
25:26And when President Donald Trump calls about an end, you have to see there is an India linkage as well.
25:30That India-Middle East economic corridor, the big idea, the Abrahamic Accord idea, where President Donald Trump was invested during his previous administration,
25:38between 2016 to 2016 to 2020, and even the Biden administration, when they have signed this India-Middle East economic corridor.
25:44This big idea cannot be rectified till the time Iran is supporting these excess of resistance, or in their language or lingo, if you call them, the excess of evil.
25:56So that's why taking out Iran and Iran's capabilities is very important for the U.S. as well as for Israel.
26:04You know, stay with me, Prane. I want to just get into a bit of news break, and we'll bring in Shivani as well, who's been tracking the conflict very closely.
26:10And that's the news that is coming in, which we did touch upon, that there have been series of fresh strikes by Israel in West Iran.
26:16Iran's surface-to-surface missile launchers hit, launch sites attacked in Western Iran, strategic targets hit in Iran.
26:24Shivani, give us the details, please.
26:26Priti, the targets are being hit by Israel. It is a continuous escalation and targeting by Israel, especially on the…
26:36And the focus is on the assets of Iran, the military assets, the military or the nuclear targets that have been taken in by Israel.
26:45And we were just speaking to the ambassador of Israel in India, and we were trying to take some clarity on the operation that's going on.
26:53And he said that we do not know how long the operation can take.
26:58That means the situation is going to remain similar in the coming days also, Priti, with more attacks on Iran from Israel.
27:06But Israel is also saying that the kind of missiles that were being launched from Iran since last few days, there is a decrease in that number.
27:14That means to certain level, there are losses that have been inflicted upon and Israel has been achieving what it started, the goal with which it started the whole operation.
27:26So, we are getting a lot of indications, Priti, that Israel will go on with similar attacks on these installations especially.
27:35And what has been made very clear here once again that this is a military operation, no targeting of civilians.
27:43That's what Israel claims, only the military targets, only the ones that were chosen as a plan, the ones who were involved in the nuclear program of Iran, the ones who were intelligence officers who were supporting that nuclear program or one of the assets of these nuclear programs are being neutralized.
28:02And this elimination will continue and that's why we are seeing fresh attacks especially in Tehran which happens to be one of these strategic locations for all these assets of Iran.
28:14So, Priti, we will be seeing some more action for the coming days because the situation seems to be escalating especially from Israel's targeting.
28:23You know, I want to get in all three of you just one by one very quickly before I allow you to go.
28:27But, Prani, let's begin with you. It's a tight diplomatic walk where India is concerned. What has been India's stand till now? How are we looking at the situation from our interests?
28:36If you see the statement of Minister of External Affairs here, Priti, on this conflicting situation, we have good relation with both Israel and Iran.
28:44We are certainly for peace, we are certainly for de-escalation. If you see the stated position of India vis-a-vis the nuclear program of Iran is concerned,
28:51we have said that Iran is a right for the civil, for the peaceful, the nuclear enrichment for the peaceful purposes.
28:57But since Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they should not do anything to acquire nuclear weapons.
29:05This remains in the domain of IAEA and the recent statement from IAEA clearly indicates that Iran has ramped up its enrichment program and that remains a matter of concern.
29:14Look, as far as the nuclear club is concerned, nobody wants other entry in the nuclear club. And that, you know, the smaller the ring, better it is.
29:23So that is the policy. But as far as the region is concerned, we definitely have a concern. We have concerns about the spillover of the conflict.
29:29Because in West Asia region, in the Gulf region, we have around 80 lakh people of Indian origin and Indians who are working there in the Gulf countries.
29:38We do not want escalation in that area. Also, that region is very important for us as far as the energy supplies are concerned.
29:44So therefore, these are the issues with which and on which we want de-escalation. We have also expressed our intent that if we can help in any way,
29:55India stands ready to help either parties to find some solution and have peaceful solution and dialogue in diplomacy.
30:01And therefore, there will also be economic consequences, not just for India, but the world as well with the conflict in this particular region.
30:07But what are you looking at now, Sandeep? Over the next 24 hours, we're clearly looking at a conflict which is only escalating, intensifying.
30:17What are you watching closely? America?
30:20Well, America, of course, because you look at the kind of assets that the United States has been moving into the region, Preeti.
30:27They have one carrier strike group already in the Arabian Sea. That's the USS Carl Vinson.
30:31They're moving in a second carrier strike group. That is the USS Nimitz.
30:35Twenty tankers, we are being told, have landed in the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
30:41These are tankers which refuel fighter jets. There are a number of fighter aircraft already there,
30:46which means that the United States is preparing for a very large amount of air operations in the region.
30:52And that could suggest something to do with Iran. Are they trying to move in, you know, once and for all,
30:58try and attack Iran, destroy its nuclear capabilities, take its enrichment program back by several years?
31:06Or are they going in for the kill this time and attempting regime change from the air?
31:11Because, you know, for changing a regime, you actually need boots on the ground.
31:15You need something like the 200,000 or so allied, you know, troops.
31:20Have there been precedence?
31:21Well, I was looking at 2001 December in Afghanistan where you had the Taliban that was chased out of Afghanistan by U.S. bombs, fighter jets,
31:33and a very light footprint of special forces, U.S. special forces with the Northern Alliance soldiers.
31:39But in Iran, you're looking at a full-scale Iranian military which will actually have to be militarily defeated before they can be, you know, the regime can be pushed out.
31:48So it's a very complicated situation looking at. And as you said, United States is going to be very key.
31:54What the U.S. does in the next 24 hours or so is going to decide the future of this conflict.
31:59Shivani, if we still have you with us, I want to just bring in my colleague Shivani for one quick final word.
32:03Shivani, you know, there was this fog of war and we've seen there is a lot of manipulation of real-time information
32:09which can translate into misinformation. What are we looking at?
32:13Because if one is to believe it seems Iran completely has its back to the wall, but is Iran also being smart and strategic in fighting back?
32:22What are you picking up?
32:25See, Preeti, Iran is trying to gather a lot of support and showing that Israel has been targeting the civilian areas,
32:31especially while Israel says that whatever is being said by Iran is not completely true.
32:37There are false narratives like we face the false narrative, the fake agenda that was being run by Pakistan when we witnessed the Operation Sindhuul.
32:46The picture is quite similar here, Preeti, too, because there were a lot of revelations that were being made by the ambassador as we were speaking to him.
32:55He said that no losses in the Haifa port city have been made.
33:00There are certain claims that are being made by Iran that are not true, that are not correct.
33:07There were ICBMs that were being developed to be handed over to the Houthis and to other proxy armies of the Iran.
33:15And the nuclear capabilities, the program that was aggressive, that was going quite speedily ahead.
33:24So they needed to check that. And for that matter, it was a planned attempt by the Israelis to first neutralize and to counter the Hezbollahs and the Hamas groups and later on to attack Iran.
33:37We see a lot of misinformation is also going on in this whole operation and the military operation will continue.
33:43And that's what we are going to attempt to do, you know, over the course of time.
33:46As we report, you know, the conflict responsibly, it's about, you know, separating propaganda from what are actual facts.
33:53India has no dibs in this, viewers, and we are going to, you know, get you perspective coming in from both sides, Iran and Israel.
34:00Crucial the next 24 hours. I appreciate all three of you for joining me.
34:04After the horrific plane crash in Ahmedabad, Air India continues to remain under fire for technical snags in their flights.
34:11Just today, viewers, this is only today.
34:13A total of seven Air India international flights were cancelled due to technical glitches and operational reasons.
34:19All the cancelled flights were Boeing Dreamliners.
34:23Two flights, one scheduled from Ahmedabad to London and the other from Delhi to Paris, were cancelled on Tuesday.
34:28After technical glitches were discovered in both aircrafts.
34:32A London Amritsar and a Bengaluru London flight was also cancelled for the same very reason.
34:38Air India later issued a statement expressing regret over inconvenience to passengers.
34:43The airline assured passengers of alternative arrangements, free cancellations and rescheduling.
34:49I want to cut across right now to my colleague, Amit Bhardawaj, who's joining us live from Ahmedabad for more.
34:55You know, Amit, there is a sense of nervousness and anxiety in any case, especially for flyers who are boarding Air India, Boeing 787.
35:04And the cancellations because of technical snags and other issues quite only adds to that.
35:10Today, you know, the ill-fated Air India flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London, which was to take off, of course, it's no longer called 171 because 171 has been retired because of the tragedy.
35:26So I would think it is now Air India 159.
35:30That flight, Boeing 787, was also cancelled due to a technical snag.
35:35Right, Priti, you know, what has happened today was this particular flight 159 AI was slated to take off from Ahmedabad airport in the noon exactly around the time where AI 171 used to take off for London.
35:54But that take off did not happen because of unavailability of the craft itself.
36:00Now, this is not the only case, even though at the airport the passengers were really angry and ached, but through the day we can actually zero down four flights of Air India, which has been cancelled, and each of them were Boeing Dreamliner.
36:15And hence we, you know, point out at the DGCA's very strict norms, which has been now issued for the Air India's Boeing Dreamliner fleets.
36:25And when you connect the dots, you would also find out that this is possibly because of the enhanced safety inspections, which has been ordered specifically for the Boeing Dreamliner fleet of Air India.
36:36Back to you, Priti.
36:37All right, Amit, appreciate you joining us with that quick update.
36:40So, like I said, there was a sense of anxiety, you know, nervousness where flying Air India, Boeing 787s are concerned, especially due to the cancellations.
36:50But I want to take you back to the civil hospital in Ahmedabad because DNA identification is still continuing.
36:57After the authorities said that they will give 72 hours or three days for DNA sample matching for the remains of the dead, the families agonising,
37:09agonising weight continues.
37:11What we know for now, that 163 mattresses have been made, allowing 124 bodies to be handed over to the families.
37:20I want to cut across to Vidya, my colleague.
37:23Vidya, what more can you add to this?
37:25Well, Priti, I was at the, you know, the centre where the entire sample collection was being done today.
37:35And they said very clearly that most of the sample collection has already been done, except for probably one, one, this person who is in UK is not able to come down.
37:46So his sample, his or her sample will be collected in UK itself.
37:50The report will be sent over and then the matching will be done here.
37:53Apart from that, there are about a few, you know, samples.
37:58They expect that people will come more, about a dozen or so, but they have not yet come forward.
38:04So the centre is still open.
38:05But as of now, yes, about 163 DNA matches have been done.
38:10Remember that there are more than 240 people who were in the flight itself.
38:14And apart from that, there are many more on the ground.
38:16The figure is not really clear as to how many people were on the ground, but there were substantial number of people there as well.
38:23So there is almost, as you can see, nearly about 100 more DNA matches that really have to be done even now after six days of this entire incident happening.
38:36I'm at the mortuary where you can see, you know, there are police persons and everyone, but two handing over of the process is still going on.
38:44Tonight, they will be completed.
38:45So with this approximately, you know, 124 handing over of the bodies will happen.
38:53But then, you know, there are many more remaining.
38:56There are some more people still in the hospital as we were, you know, speaking to the administration here.
39:01They said very clearly that there are people still admitted, but quite a few of them have already been discharged.
39:07So the process and the exact figure is something that the administration is not really releasing.
39:12They are saying that they are trying to make sure that the DNA sampling and the matching is done at the earliest.
39:18But it will still take some time is what we do gather from this place in Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
39:24Ahmedia, thank you for joining us. The agonizing wait continues, viewers. Even though about 160 matches have been made, 163 DNA matches confirmed,
39:35only 130 remains have been handed over to loved ones. But look at the figure. It's 275 in all right now.
39:41So it's going to be a long, agonizing wait and it is going to continue. Sadly so.
39:46I'm going to go into a quick break, but we do leave you with these visuals because these visuals will break your heart with tears welling in his eyes.
39:53In his eyes and folded hands, Captain Sumit Sabarwal's father paid final tribute to his son, the pilot of Air India plane, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12th.
40:03Mr. Sabarwal had promised his father that he would quit his job and take care of him full time. The promise left unkempt.
40:11Remember the black box is being examined to determine exactly what happened to the flight that claimed 270 lives in Ahmedabad.
40:20His heartbreak arrangements of his right?
40:22He will havebreakable evidence for his heart breaking evangibles.
40:23The emergency of the home of the US and his home of the US.
40:25Outbreaking evangibles.
40:27The emergency of the US and his home of the US.
40:30The emergency of the US and his home of the US.
40:32The emergency of the US is staying in the US to be a very significant project,
40:33and we'll take care of an emergency bill.
40:34The emergency of the US does not be a temporary disaster,
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