Iran's main ballistic missiles that evaded Israel's air defence include..., their capabilities...
New Delhi: Israeli forces carried out hundreds of attacks one after the other on Iran's nuclear site and military bases on Friday, June 13. After this, Iran also retaliated with ballistic missiles. These ballistic missiles of Iran are directly entering Israel. Israel's air defense system has failed to stop them completely. These missiles are targeting Israel's capital Tel Aviv as well as other Israeli cities. What kind of missiles does Iran have?
Iran's ballistic missiles are an important part of its military power and strategic capabilities in the Middle East. In recent years, Iran has added many advanced missiles to its missile system, including long-range missiles, hypersonic missiles and precision-guided missiles. Let's take a look at Iranian missiles: Kheibar/Khorramshahr-4
Range: About 2,000 km
Weight: 1500–1800 kg warhead
Features: This missile is the fourth generation of Iran's Khorramshahr missile family, introduced in 2023. Fattah-1
Type: Hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile
Speed: Mach 13–15
Range: About 1,400 km
Features: This is Iran's first hypersonic missile, introduced in 2023. Its high speed and guidance system enable it to evade missile defense systems. Ghadr-110
Range: 1800–2000 km
Features: This missile is an advanced version of the Shahab-3A, using liquid fuel first stage and solid fuel second stage. Jihad
Range: 1000 km
Speed: Mach 8.5
Features: This missile was introduced in 2024 and its structure and platform are similar to the Imad and Qiam missiles. Dezful
Range: Over 1,000 km
Speed: Mach 7
Features: This missile was introduced in 2019 and it is highly accurate. Fath-360
Range: 100–120 km
Speed: Mach 3
Features: It is a mobile, high-speed short-range ballistic missile, introduced in 2022. It is used by both Iran and Russia. Iran missile attack on Israel
Iran carried out a massive ballistic missile attack on Israel on 13 June 2025, called 'Operation True Promise 3'. About 150 ballistic missiles were used in this attack, which were fired targeting various military targets in Israel. Although most of the missiles were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome and US allied systems, some missiles still managed to reach their targets.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) headquarters (Kiryat) in Tel Aviv came under attack, causing significant damage.
Nevatim Airbase: This airbase in southern Israel was hit by several missiles, causing large holes in the roofs of two hangars and creating several craters. However, no significant aircraft were destroyed in the attack.
Tel Nof Airbase: This airbase in central Israel was also hit by missiles, causing some secondary explosions, possibly caused by ammunition or fuel. This airbase is known for storing Israel's nuclear weapons.
Mossad Headquarters (Glilot, near Tel Aviv): Two missiles fell near the Mossad headquarters, but did not cause any significant damage. One missile fell about 500 meters away, causing no major damage.
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Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: Iran-Israel conflict, Cholera outbreak, and Axiom-4 mission
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 15, 2025. If you missed the June 14, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: International Relations, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development. What's the ongoing story: Just as global shipping lines and traders had begun to breathe a sigh of relief from elevated freight rates, with vessels returning to the crucial Red Sea route from the longer Cape of Good Hope passage, a direct conflict between two major West Asian powers has reignited fears of surging oil prices and more trade disruptions. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the history of the Iran-Israel cooperation and conflict? • What key events or factors led to the current escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict? • What will be the impact of the Iran-Israel conflict? • What is India's stake in and stand on the Iran-Israel conflict? • What is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)? • Read about the Red Sea shipping route and Suez Canal. • Read about the Israel-Hamas conflict. • What is 'axis of resistance'? • What is Israel's problem with the Quds Force? • What was the Arab-Israeli war? What was the Yom Kippur War? • What is the 'periphery doctrine'? • What are the recent developments around the Iranian nuclear programme? • How does the rising number of conflicts among the various countries and the war in the Middle East show the deinstitutionalisation of global politics? • Map work: Tel Aviv, Damascus, Tehran, key countries of the region: Egypt, Iran, Israel, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Isfahan, Ashkelon. (Refer to atlas.) Key Takeaways: • The escalating tension between Iran and Israel sent shockwaves through global stock markets, with India's benchmark Sensex closing 573 points lower on Friday. • Experts warn that Iran may respond by closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a key passage through which 20–25 per cent of global oil supply transits, as well as a critical corridor for LNG (liquefied natural gas) shipments from Qatar and the UAE. Qatar, notably, is among the top LNG suppliers to India. • The renewed instability could pose deeper macroeconomic challenges for India, extending beyond trade, particularly as the country's reliance on oil imports continues to rise. While India was compelled to halt oil imports from Iran following US sanctions in 2019, Goldman Sachs estimates that Iranian supply could fall by 1.75 million barrels per day (b/d) for six months before gradually recovering. • A fall in prices of fruits, pulses and cereals had helped lower India's headline retail inflation to a 75-month low of 2.82 per cent in May 2025. This easing inflationary trend had prompted the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut the policy repo rate by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points. However, the RBI cautioned that 'monetary policy is left with very limited space to support growth'. • S&P Global noted that, so far, both Iran and Israel have avoided directly targeting energy infrastructure. However, Israel has temporarily shut its Leviathan gas field — a key supplier to Egypt and Jordan — as a precaution. Iran, meanwhile, reported no damage to its oil refineries or storage depots in the initial attacks. • Iran possesses approximately 2.2 million b/d of crude refining capacity and an additional 600,000 b/d of condensate splitter capacity. In May, it produced about 4 million b/d of crude and condensate. According to S&P Global, Iran's crude exports could fall below 1.5 million b/d this month. From Front Page 'Israel vows to intensify attacks as Iran calls off nuclear talks with US' • Israel pounded Iran for a second day on Saturday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said its campaign would intensify dramatically, while Tehran called off nuclear talks that Washington had held out as the only way to halt the bombing. A day after Israel wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command with a surprise attack on its old foe, it appeared to have hit Iran's oil and gas industry for the first time, with Iranian state media reporting a blaze at a gas field. • Netanyahu said Israel's strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme possibly by years and rejected international calls for restraint. • Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Air raid sirens sent Israelis into shelters as waves of missiles streaked across the sky and interceptors rose to meet them. US President Donald Trump has lauded Israel's strikes and warned Iran of much worse to come. • Host Oman confirmed on Saturday that the next round of talks had been scrapped. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said holding talks was unjustifiable while Israel's 'barbarous' attacks were ongoing. Do You Know: • The nearly 2,000-km Red Sea connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean via the narrow Suez Canal. Before the Suez Canal's construction, ships had to go around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to travel between Europe and Asia. • The Suez Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways. It was officially opened to ships on November 17, 1869. The 193-km artificial waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean through the Isthmus of Suez cut down the sea route from Asia to Europe by up to 7,000 km by negating the need for ships to travel around the southern tip of Africa to traverse between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Iran-Israel Conflict: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains 📍Knowledge Nugget: Red Sea shipping route and Suez canal — What you must know for UPSC Exam UPSC Prelims Practice and Previous Year Question Covering similar theme: (1) The term 'two-state solution' is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (UPSC CSE 2018) (a) China (b) Israel (c) Iraq (d) Yemen (2) What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (UPSC CSE 2017) (a) India's trade with African countries will increase enormously. (b) India's relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened. (c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. (d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II: International Relations, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. What's the ongoing story: India on Saturday distanced itself from a statement issued by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which condemned the military strikes carried out by Israel. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)? • What is the significance of the SCO for India? • What is India's stand on the Iran-Israel conflict? • What is the history of India-Iran relations? What are the areas of cooperation? • Read about the history of India-Israel relations and areas of cooperation. • How has India's foreign policy evolved on the Israel-Palestine issue? • How has Iran's membership affected the dynamics of SCO countries? • What are the shortcomings of the SCO? Key Takeaways: • The 10-member bloc, currently chaired by China, called Israel's 'aggressive actions against civilian targets (in Iran), including energy and transport infrastructure, which have resulted in civilian casualties, a gross violation of international law and the United Nations Charter'. • In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said: 'India did not participate in the discussions on the above-mentioned SCO statement… India's own position on the matter had been articulated by us on June 13, 2025, and remains the same. We urge that channels of dialogue and diplomacy be utilised to work towards de-escalation and it is essential that the international community undertake endeavours in that direction.' It said that India's 'overall position' was communicated to other SCO members. • The MEA statement came a day after India abstained from a vote in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on a draft resolution that demanded an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent' ceasefire in Gaza. The 193-member UNGA voted overwhelmingly to adopt the resolution introduced by Spain. India was among the 19 nations that abstained, while 12 nations voted against the resolution, which got 149 votes in favour. • On Friday, India had urged both Israel and Iran to avoid any 'escalatory steps', and to resolve issues through dialogue and diplomacy. 'India enjoys close and friendly relations with both the countries and stands ready to extend all possible support,' the MEA had said. Do You Know: • The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation. The main objectives of the SCO are to promote good relations among member countries, strengthen mutual confidence, make collective efforts to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region, and promote effective cooperation in various fields such as trade and economy, science and technology, culture, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection, etc. • The member countries are India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. Belarus joined SCO as the 10th member on 4th July 2024. Afghanistan and Mongolia hold Observer Status. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Türkiye and UAE have a dialogue partner status • The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation originated from the 'Shanghai Five' established in 1996, consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. SCO was established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai as an international organisation and also included Uzbekistan as a sixth member. • India and Pakistan became full members of the organisation in 2017 at the meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Astana. In 2023, the status of a full member of the Organisation was granted to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Later, Belarus became the 10th member of the organisation. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and India UPSC Prelims Previous year and Practice Questions Covering similar theme: (3) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2022) 1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2. Missile Technology Control Regime 3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation India is a member of which of the above? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (4) Which among the following countries are the members of SCO? 1. Kazakhstan 2. Kyrgyzstan 3. Mongolia 4. Turkmenistan Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 and 4 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1 and 2 only Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. What importance does it hold for India? (UPSC CSE 2021) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. What's the ongoing story: The Axiom-4 mission, set to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station, is scheduled to be launched on June 19, said ISRO in a statement. The Axiom-4 mission will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 19 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Axiom-4 mission? • What is the objective of the Axiom-4 mission? • What is the significance of the Axiom-4 mission for India? • What is the Gaganyaan mission? • What is India's roadmap for setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station? • How does the Indian space sector benefit from private-sector participation? Key Takeaways: • Shubhanshu Shukla is set to create history through the Axiom-4 mission by being the second Indian astronaut to go to space. Shukla will travel to the ISS with the Ax-4 crew, where the team will conduct multiple experiments focused on microgravity and living science. • The launch date was announced after a crucial coordination meeting conducted between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Axiom Space, and SpaceX. • 'During a follow-on coordination meeting between ISRO, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, it was confirmed that the liquid oxygen leak observed in the Falcon 9 launch vehicle has been successfully resolved,' ISRO said in a statement on Saturday. • The launch of the Axiom-4 mission has been delayed four times previously, due to unfavourable weather conditions and technical snags. The astronauts were originally scheduled for lift-off on May 29, which was put off to June 8, June 10 and June 11, when SpaceX, the providers of the launch rocket and the space capsule, detected a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket. • Former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, Peggy Whitson, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot. Do You Know: • The Axiom 4 mission is being operated by private US space company Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA and SpaceX. Notably, the mission will carry the first astronauts from Hungary and Poland to the space station. • The Ax-4 mission features an international crew from the United States, India. Poland and Hungary. Former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, Peggy Whitson, will command the commercial mission, and ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The private mission also carries ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. • The crew will travel to the ISS on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and is scheduled to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory. The crew's approximately two-week stay includes conducting a mission comprising of science, education, and commercial activities. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget: Axiom-4 mission — What you must know for UPSC Exam 📍Explained: Why Axiom-4 Matters Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) Consider the following space missions: (UPSC CSE 2025) I. Axiom-4 II. SpaDeX III. Gaganyaan How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions, Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. What's the ongoing story: A 14-member central team comprising experts from multiple agencies will visit Odisha Jajpur, where as many as five people have died and some 500 have been hospitalised due to a cholera outbreak in the past week, officials said. Key Points to Ponder: • What is cholera? • What are the symptoms of Cholera? • How does cholera spread? • What should be done for the prevention of cholera? • What are the socio-economic and environmental factors that contribute to the persistence of cholera outbreaks in developing countries? • What measures are required to ensure cholera prevention in India? Key Takeaways: • A team comprising experts from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), food safety and World Health Organization (WHO) will be in the district to contain the situation. • As many as four blocks and one urban local body in Jajpur district are stated to be hit most by the outbreak, although there are reports of cholera-related illnesses from three other nearby districts including parts of Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Cuttack. Do You Know: • Cholera is caused by a bacteria called Vibrio cholera and is usually spread through contaminated drinking water or food. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration. If left untreated, cholera can be fatal, even in healthy people. • The deadly effects of the disease are due to the toxin produced in the small intestine which causes the body to secrete enormous amounts of water which results in diarrhea and a rapid loss of fluids and salts or electrolytes. • Cholera bacteria might not cause illness in all the people who are exposed to them, but they still pass the bacteria in their stool, which can contaminate food and water sources. • While most people exposed to the cholera bacterium might not know they have been infected, they can still infect others through contaminated water as they shed cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days. • Some of the symptoms are diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting and dehydration. Signs of cholera include fatigue, sunken eyes, dry mouth, extreme thirst, dry skin, little or no urination, low blood pressure and electrolyte imbalance which can cause muscle cramps and lead to rapid loss of salts such as chloride, sodium and potassium. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍With 4 confirmed cases, Gandhinagar sees cholera outbreak Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies-II, III: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate, Disaster and disaster management. What's the ongoing story: India was rated well above the global average in terms of its operations and airworthiness by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was last audited in November 2022, with the overall Effective Implementation score being raised to 85.65 per cent from 69.95 per cent in 2018, indicating an improvement in the country's aviation safety ranking. Key Points to Ponder: • A-I Plane Boeing 787-what you know so far? • Read about the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). • What is ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP)? • What are the global aviation safety trends? • What is the Montreal Convention on Civil Aviation? • What factors influence passenger survival in aircraft crashes? • Know about the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). • How does India's Category 1 rating by the FAA impact India's airline operations, bilateral air services, and global connectivity? • How should governments and international bodies respond to recurring aviation incidents to enhance global air safety standards? Key Takeaways: • The Effective Implementation score of the ICAO, an agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating and establishing standards for civil aviation globally, includes various categories such as legislation, organisation, licensing, operations, airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation services, and aerodromes. • As per the last audit, India scored higher than the global average in each of the eight categories that are covered under ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). • India scored particularly higher than the global average by the ICAO when it came to operations, with the global average at 72.28 per cent and India at 94.02 per cent. This was even higher than the likes of the US (86.51 per cent) and China (90 per cent), as per their 2024 audits. • India also scored higher than the US and China in terms of airworthiness: 97.06 per cent versus 89.13 per cent and 94.83 per cent, respectively. To be sure, the agency has different auditing schedules for different countries, and while India's last audit was in 2022, the audits for US and China were conducted in 2024. • Later, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—the foremost aviation regulator globally—retained India's International Aviation Safety Assessment category as Category 1. As per the FAA's assessment programme, the DGCA was audited in October 2021 in the areas of aircraft operations, airworthiness, and personnel licensing. • The FAA has appreciated the DGCA stating that DGCA has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the effective safety oversight of India's aviation system,' the Ministry of Civil Aviation had said in April 2023. • A Category 1 status with the FAA allows air carriers of that country to operate and expand their services to destinations in the US and codeshare with American air carriers. Do You Know: • India is the third-largest domestic aviation market after the US and China, and is also the fastest-growing major aviation market globally. • International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): It is a specialised organisation of the United Nations created through the Chicago Convention (formally known as the Convention on International Civil Aviation) of 1944 to promote safe and orderly growth of international civil aviation throughout the world. According to the official website of ICAO, 'on 4 April 1947, upon sufficient ratifications to the Chicago Convention, the provisional aspects of the Provisional ICAO were no longer relevant and it officially became known as ICAO. The first official ICAO Assembly was held in Montreal in May of that year.' On 6 June 1946, Montreal, Canada, was selected as the permanent headquarters of the Organization. • Montreal Convention on Civil Aviation: The Montreal Convention 1999, or MC99, is formally known as the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air. It was finalised under the aegis of the ICAO. It provides a comprehensive and unified framework for the international carriage of passengers, baggage, and cargo by air, introducing several elements to balance the interests of travelers and the shippers of cargo and the aviation industry. • India signed the Montreal Convention on Civil Aviation in 2009 to become its 91st member. The provisions of this convention are implemented through the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Act 2009 in India, which was enacted to cover the international carriage of passengers, baggage, or cargo by airlines. • The convention imposes strict penalties on carriers for the death of passengers due to negligence and fixes a higher insurance premium for air disasters occurring on international flights. It sets liability limits for airlines, ensuring fair compensation for consumers in cases of injury, death, delay, baggage and cargo issues. It supersedes all previous international instruments on air carrier liability. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Express View: After the crash UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (6) Consider the following statements about the Montreal Convention on Civil Aviation: 1. India signed the Montreal Convention treaty in 2011 to become its 91st member, which was a collaborative effort between ICAO, WTO, and OECD. 2. The convention imposes strict penalties on carriers for the death of passengers due to negligence and fixes a higher insurance premium for air disasters occurring on international flights. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies-III: Disaster and disaster management. What's the ongoing story: The black boxes of the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday may be decoded and analysed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) at its brand new state-of-the-art laboratory that was inaugurated just two months ago, The Indian Express has learnt. Key Points to Ponder: • What is a black box? • Why is it called a 'black' box? • How do black boxes help understand aeroplane crashes? • Where are black boxes placed, and how do they withstand crashes? • Learn about the mechanisms and fuel used in aircraft. • Know about the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). • What's a Mayday call? • What happens after a Mayday call? • What is the Montreal Convention treaty? • What role does disaster management play in the aviation industry? Key Takeaways: • Sources indicated that the decision on whether the black boxes—digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR)—will be analysed in India or sent to an overseas facility will be taken by the AAIB based on critical criteria like the physical condition of the black boxes and the extent of data analysis that may be required for the investigation. • So far, the DFDR of the crashed aircraft has been recovered from the crash site, but its exact condition and whether it suffered any major damage has not been revealed by the AAIB or the government. Meanwhile, the search for the CVR is still on. The new lab, inaugurated on April 9 at the AAIB's office in Delhi, was established with an investment of Rs 9 crore. The black boxes of the Air India plane might well be the first real test of the facility. • The new and advanced lab, built by support of government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), has enhanced the AAIB ability to repair damaged black boxes, retrieve data, and conduct thorough analyses of accidents with high accuracy. • Earlier, a black box lab under the aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was being used by the AAIB, but the facility was old and lacked the a few key capabilities needed for thorough and accurate data retrieval and analysis, said a source. That was one of the reasons why a number of black boxes from aircraft involved in serious accidents were sent to overseas labs, said a source. • The purpose of the DFDR is to record flight data on numerous parameters of aircraft operations, while the CVR records the flight crew's voices, as well as other sounds inside the cockpit, including engine noise, stall warnings, landing gear extension and retraction, and other clicks and pops. Communications with air traffic control, automated radio weather briefings, and conversation between the pilots and ground or cabin crew are also recorded. • With the data retrieved from the DFDR, investigators can generate a computer animated video reconstruction of the flight. The investigators can then visualise the aircraft's attitude, instrument readings, power settings, and other characteristics of the flight. This animation enables the investigating team to visualise the last moments of the flight before the accident. Do You Know: • Thursday's crash claimed the lives of 241 of 242 people on board the plane that was operating Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. Lives were also lost on the ground as the plane crashed into a medical college hostel close to the Ahmedabad airport. This is the first wide-body crash for an Indian airline in four decades. It is also the first crash of a Boeing 787 globally. Both the black boxes are expected to play a critical role in the air crash investigation. • A black box is simply a flight recorder, with origins in the early 1950s. Most aircraft are required to be equipped with two black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) — that record the information about a flight and help reconstruct the events leading to an aircraft accident. • While the CVR records radio transmissions and other sounds in the cockpit, such as conversations between the pilots and engine noises, the flight data recorder records more than 80 different types of information, such as altitude, airspeed, flight heading, vertical acceleration, pitch, roll, autopilot status, etc. It usually takes at least 10-15 days to analyse the data recovered from the black boxes after a crash. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍BLACK BOX Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
The Israel-Iran conflict: What we know so far and what remains unclear
The conflict between Israel and Iran intensified overnight, marked by a series of devastating airstrikes and missile exchanges. Leaders from both countries insist that he fighting will persist, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing relentless attacks and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) promising a 'more forceful and expansive' response. On June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a military offensive targeting over 170 sites and 720 military infrastructure facilities in Iran, including nuclear facilities at Natanz, Khondab, and Khorramabad, as well as military bases and missile production sites. So far, 14 senior Iranian officials have been killed including high-ranking IRGC commander Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. Iranian state media also reported 60 civilian deaths, including 20 children, in a strike on a Tehran apartment building. Iranian Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi noted that most casualties from Israeli strikes were civilians, particularly women and children. Iran retaliated with approximately 200 ballistic missiles and 100 drones targeting Israel, striking military and civilian sites, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The IDF reported 22 impact sites where missiles evaded air defences or debris from intercepted missiles caused damage. At least 10 Israelis were killed, with over 100 injured, including seven trapped under rubble in a 10-storey building in Bat Yam and six deaths from a missile strike on a high-rise according to the BBC. Israel's airspace was closed to civilian flights, stranding many citizens abroad. The United States assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles but did not participate in Israel's strikes according to US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed damage to Natanz's aboveground uranium enrichment plant, resulting in manageable chemical and radiological contamination, though underground facilities and other sites like Fordo and Bushehr were unaffected. The IAEA's recent resolution declared Iran non-compliant with its nuclear obligations, citing 409 kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent – near weapons-grade and sufficient for approximately 10 nuclear bombs if further enriched. Netanyahu justified the strikes as a response to Iran's advancing nuclear program, which he claimed could produce a nuclear weapon within months, citing intelligence of weaponisation steps. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, a claim supported by US intelligence in March 2025, which stated Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons. However, the IAEA's findings and Iran's enrichment activities fuelled Israel's concerns. The strikes coincided with the cancellation of US-Iran nuclear talks scheduled for June 15 in Oman, confirmed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani officials. Additional developments include Iran's arrest of two alleged Mossad agents in Alborz province and a strike on a Tehran oil terminal in Shahran, where a fire was contained. The UK deployed additional military jets to protect its regional personnel and bases, while Israel's stock market saw gains, with defence contractor Elbit Systems up 6 per cent and Navitas Petroleum up 3 per cent. The full extent of damage in Iran remains unclear due to restricted access for international journalists, with Iranian state media downplaying Israeli strikes while emphasising Iran's retaliatory actions. Specific impacts on infrastructure, beyond the Shahran oil terminal, are largely unreported. Casualty figures from Israel's latest strikes are also unconfirmed, with earlier reports citing 78 deaths, though details are sparse according to the BBC. Iran's intentions regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for 20 per cent of global oil trade, are uncertain. Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kosari suggested closing the strait yesterday, which could spike oil prices, but no official decision has been confirmed. During the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, the strait remained open despite attacks on shipping. The precise motivations behind Israel's timing are debated. While Netanyahu cited Iran's nuclear advancements, some speculate the strikes aimed to derail US-Iran nuclear negotiations, which Netanyahu has long opposed. The role of US intelligence support, though not military involvement, remains uncertain, with reports indicating possible coordination. Whether Iran will target US assets, as threatened by Defence Minister Aziz Nasrizadeh on June 11, is unknown, given the significant risks of provoking a stronger American response.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Israel releases strike footage: 50 jets bomb Tehran nuclear sites; over 80 targets hit
Israel on Sunday released footage showing its air force targeting what it described as critical infrastructure connected to Iran's nuclear programme in Tehran, amid an escalating conflict. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said about 50 fighter jets participated in the overnight mission, striking key sites 'under the direction of the military intelligence unit.' In a statement, the military said, 'Throughout the night, Israeli Air Force fighter jets flew over Tehran, attacking infrastructure and targets related to Iran's nuclear project.' — IDFFarsi (@IDFFarsi) The IDF confirmed that more than 80 targets were hit during the operation. 'These included the headquarters of the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the Sepand headquarters of the nuclear project, and other targets where the Iranian regime had hidden nuclear archives. The Israeli military continues to intensify attacks on Iran's nuclear threat, striking at its heart and stripping it of vital weapons production capabilities and components,' the statement said. Plumes of smoke were seen rising over Tehran after explosions rocked the capital, reportedly damaging two fuel depots. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Iran later said Israel also struck a defence ministry-linked facility in Isfahan, causing possible damage. In a retaliatory escalation, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had hit sites used by Israeli aircraft for refuelling and vowed to respond 'more fiercely and more broadly' if attacks continue. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities reported 78 killed and 320 wounded in the initial wave of Israeli strikes, including the deaths of top commanders and nuclear scientists. Tehran has not yet released updated casualty figures from Sunday's strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US bore responsibility for supporting Israel, calling its involvement a 'partnership in aggression.' On the Israeli side, at least 13 people have been killed since Friday, with 180 others injured. In Bat Yam near Tel Aviv, six people were killed in a missile strike, including two children. Four more, including a teenager, were killed in Tamra in the north. As both nations brace for further strikes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's attacks were far from over. "This is nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days," he said.
