Monday, June 23, 2025 | 28 Pages | `5 & for State `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 223 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) GAMES NATION HM Shah says Naxals won’t get rest during monsoon as operations will continue Cinema Why Prateik Smita Patil dropped father Raj Babbar’s name Sourav Ganguly feels it won’t be easy for Rohit, Kohli to play 2027 ODI WC 3 nuke sites ‘obliterated’ OP MIDNIGHT HAMMER Edit What could the Israel-Iran imbroglio mean for India? B-2s, bunker busters used Tehran hits Israel cities World calls for talks US BOMBS IRAN There’ll be either peace or tragedy, says Trump Agencies DUBAI S achi Maniar is on a mission to transform the lives of vulnerable children. Turn to the Mumbai page to find out how. SEE CITY NIA: Pahalgam terrorists are from Pak; two aides arrested PTI SRINAGAR In a major breakthrough, the NIA has arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, the agency said on Sunday. According to the NIA, the two men, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park in Pahalgam, have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack. They have also confirmed that the assailants were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT). "Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, as per NIA investigations. The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever," it added. The two accused have been arrested under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which relates to punishment for harboring a terrorist. The NIA has said further investigation into the case is on. 4Contd on | nation Briefs Egypt minister calls off 2-day visit to India Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty's two-day visit to India beginning Monday has been called off in view of the escalating tension following the US's bombing of three major nuclear sites in Iran. Badr was scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with external affairs minister S Jaishankar and commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Monday. This is the second time Abdelatty’s visit to India has been called off after a similar postponement in February. The Egyptian authorities, however, have not provided an official explanation for the latest cancellation. India-Egypt relations have strengthened significantly in recent years, especially after PM Modi's visit to Cairo in 2023. The two nations have elevated their ties to strategic partnership. The US attacked three sites in Iran early on Sunday, inserting itself into Israel's war aimed at destroying the Iranian nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe that prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Tehran accused Washington of launching "a dangerous war." In an address to the nation from the White House, US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites were "completely and fully obliterated" in the mission called Operation Midnight Hammer. Satellite images taken after the American attack show damage to the entryways to the Fordo facility, which is dug deep into a mountain, while light gray smoke lingered in the air. Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he also warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. "There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran," he said. Hours after the American attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had "swiftly neutralised" the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. "We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on social media. "All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home." Trump added in a later post: "This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!" 4Contd on | nation 4See also | P17 FIERY DON Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. The strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. We (US and Israel) worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before. And we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. For 40 years, Iran has been saying, “Death to America, death to Israel”. I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the US military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Modi speaks to Iran prez, calls for de-escalation and dialogue FPJ News Service NEW DELHI Pak position: POTUS good for Nobel, not noble in Iran Agency PM Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian India's "deep concern" over the conflict with Israel and called for immediate de-escalation of the situation through "dialogue and diplomacy". The 45-minute phone conversation between Modi and Pezeshkian came hours after the US bombed three major nuclear sites in Iran. The call came from Pezeshkian. The Iranian president briefed Modi in detail on the evolving situation, the sources said, adding he described India as a friend and partner in promoting regional peace, security and stability. In a social media post, Modi said "We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations," Modi said. "Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early LAHORE ‘TALKS ONLY OPTION’ New York: UN Secretary-General António Guterres led the world in expressing concern over the US bombing of Iran, calling it a “dangerous escalation” and asserted immediate return to negotiations were critical to avoid a "spiral of chaos". SEE WORLD restoration of regional peace, security and stability," PM added. Pezeshkian thanked the PM for India's position and called for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy, the sources said. India's voice and role was important in restoring regional peace and stability, he said. The US attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities has triggered fears of a wider regional conflict, with many leading countries and blocs calling for restraint. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation A day after backing US President Trump as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistan on Sunday condemned the US attacks on Iran, calling them a violation of international law. The development comes amid media reports suggesting Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, leaked sensitive intelligence about Iran’s top military commander Mohammad Hossein Baqeri to the US and Israel. Munir had met Baqeri at the end of May and Baqeri was killed in an Israeli airstrike on June 13. Iranian sources claim Pakistan has long played a “double game,” balancing its relations with both Iran and Western powers. Pakistan's foreign office warned of further escalation of violence in the region following the US strike and said Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter. 4Contd on | nation Shadow of conflict falls on AI flights FPJ News Service NEW DELHI/MUMBAI Air India is avoiding certain airspace in West Asia, resulting in longer flight durations while Air India Express is cancelling some services due to the evolving situation, according to sources. "Amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region, Air India group confirms that our flights currently do not operate over the airspaces of Iran, Iraq, and Israel. As a proactive measure, we will be progress- ively avoiding the use of certain airspace over the Persian Gulf in the coming days, opting instead for alternative paths for flights to destina- tions, including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait," Air India said in a statement on Sunday. Air India operates flights to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, and Jeddah in the Gulf region. The adjustment may lead to extended flight durations for these services as well as for select flights to/from Europe and North America. One of the sources said Air India Express decided to cancel some flights connecting cities in the West Asia due to lower load factors, whcih implies less booking for a particular flight. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | money Emergency workers at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Tel Aviv. US crossed a very big red line: Iran warns of consequences Agencies TEHRAN Iran on Sunday said the US would be “solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences” of its attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, adding that President Trump has “betrayed” American voters by submitting to Israel’s wishes. During an address to a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US crossed “a very big red line” by attacking Iran’s three nuclear facilities. Speaking just hours after Trump announced that US warplanes had “obliterated” the nuclear sites, Araghchi condemned the strikes and called on the UN Security Council to act. “It is an outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the UN and international law,” he said, ad- ding that the “warmongering and lawless” US administration will be “solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression”. “The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to defend Iran’s territory, sovereignty, and people by all means necessary against not just US military aggression, but also the reckless and unlawful actions of the Israeli regime.” 4Contd on | nation Bibi goes gaga, says US prez has created a ‘pivot of history’ Close Strait of Hormuz: Parliament Iran’s parliament has approved a measure to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the state-run Press TV said. The Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security authority, is required to finalise the decision. LIGHTNING STRIKE ■ THE MISSION LASTED ONLY 25 MINUTES Agencies JERUSALEM Applauding US President Donald Trump's "bold decision" to hit Iran's nuclear facilities, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that it demonstrated "peace through strength" and will lead to a future of peace and prosperity in the region and beyond. A little over a month ago, Netanyahu appeared to have been shunted to the shadows by Trump, who hopscotched the West Asia without visiting Israel, traditionally Washington's closest regional ally. Fast forward five weeks and the US has fulfilled a decadesold dream of Netanyahu to convince Washington to bring its full military might to thwart Tehran's atomic ambitions. The US attack underscores a broader truth that has defined Netanyahu's career: no matter how fraught his relationships with successive presidents, he normally ends up getting what he wants. "Your (Trump's) bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the US will change history," Netanyahu said. "In Operation Rising Lion, Israel has done truly amazing things. But in tonight's action against Iran's nuclear facilities, America has been truly unsurpassed. It has done what no other country on earth could do." The Israeli leader asserted that history would remember Trump for denying "the world's most dangerous regime the world's most dangerous weapons". "His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace," Netanyahu stressed. 4Contd on | nation ■ 7 STEALTH B-2 BOMBERS WERE INVOLVED ■ A PART OF THE B-2 PACKAGE PROCEEDED TO THE WEST AND INTO THE PACIFIC AS A DECOY ■ THE BOMBERS FLEW NON-STOP FOR ABOUT 37 HOURS FROM MISSOURI, US ■ JETS REFUELLED SEVERAL TIMES MID-AIR ■ OVER 125 MILITARY AIRCRAFT WERE DEPLOYED ■ 14 BUNKERBUSTER BOMBS DROPPED ■ 2 DOZEN TOMAHAWK MISSILES PROVIDED COVER