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This Week in Explainers: Were Iran's nuclear sites ‘totally obliterated' as Trump claims?
The war between Israel and Iran is over. At the centre of this conflict were Iran's crucial nuclear sites, which US President Donald Trump claims were 'totally obliterated' by US strikes. But is there any conclusive proof? We talk about the conflicting narratives and more in our weekly wrap read more
A woman shows the victory sign outside a house, following an Israeli strike on a building on Monday, after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, in Tehran, on June 26. Reuters
After 12 days of intense missile attacks and with the US stepping in, the '12-day war' between Israel and Iran ended on Tuesday (June 24). It came hours after Iran launched an attack on the US-run airbase in Qatar. You'd think the US would hit back harder, but instead, Donald Trump took to Truth Social and announced a ceasefire. Tehran, it turns out, informed the US and Qatar about the largely symbolic strikes.
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After ceasefire violations and a miffed Trump dropping the F-bomb, the fragile truce between Israel and Iran has been holding.
With the conflict ending, it's time for assessment. While the US president insists that Iran's key nuclear sites are 'totally obliterated', reports from US and European intelligence talk about severe damage. What's the truth? It's hard to say.
In the US, the New York City mayoral primary caught everyone's attention. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Indian-origin state assemblyman, became the Democratic candidate for NYC mayor after he beat former governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani made history as the first Muslim nominee, but he is receiving backlash from across the spectrum, be it from Donald Trump or Indian politicians.
Talking about history, the Axiom-4 mission , carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the ISS, finally took off on Wednesday (June 25). Shukla became the first India to travel to the space station along with three other crew members. It was a big moment for Poland and Hungary as well, which also sent their astronauts – Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu – to space for the first time in nearly half a century.
Now let's talk about the 'Wedding of the Century'. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos married former TV journalist Lauren Sanchez at a grand ceremony in Venice. The couple faced protests and were forced to change their venue, but can anything ruin a party when you are the world's third-richest man? The most famous and influential descended upon Venice for a celebration that cost up to €40 million (Rs 400 crore).
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We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup.
1. After the US attacked Iran's key nuclear sites, a retaliation was expected. The Islamic Republic launched missiles at the US-run Al Udeid Air Base, a key military facility in West Asia. However, there were no casualties or damage. In fact, Iran gave Qatar and the Trump administration a prior notice about the strikes. Here's why.
2. After Iran attacked the US air base, the war took an unexpected turn. Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on Truth Social. Now all three sides – the US, Israel, and Iran – are claiming victory. But who actually won? And how did entering the conflict benefit America? This story explains.
A man passes next to a mural after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, in Haifa, Israel, June 25. Both sides have claimed victory in the conflict. Reuters
3. Trump maintains that Iranian nuclear sites were 'totally obliterated'. Israel shares a similar story. Intelligence assessment by the US and EU talk of 'severe damage' However, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insists that the US strikes did not 'accomplish anything significant' to disrupt Iran's nuclear programme. How much damage has been caused to the facilities? It's hard to tell.
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4. In American politics, a 33-year-old son of an Indian-American filmmaker has grabbed headlines. Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoral primary, becoming the Democratic candidate for the race . The first Muslim nominee, Mamdani, however, is getting brickbats from all around.
Supporters attend a watch party for Zohran Mamdani's primary election in New York City. Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo to become the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor. Reuters
5. Finally, the Axiom-4 mission took off after six delays. With this, India's astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla became the first from the country to travel to the International Space Station. But life in space comes with challenges of its own. 'I am learning like a baby how to walk and eat in space,' Shukla said in one of his first remarks during the spaceflight. So what happens to your body in space? This explainer answers the question.
Axiom Mission 4 successfully docked with the @Space_Station on 26 June 2025 at 16:15 hrs IST.
Team ISRO, led by Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, ISRO, witnessed the historical moment from the Mission Control Room at @NASA_Johnson, Houston.
Welcome ceremony of Axiom… pic.twitter.com/8uygmuPntH — ISRO (@isro) June 26, 2025
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6. Last year, the South Korean government implemented a nationwide ban on the sale of dog meat for consumption. The landmark legislation comes into effect in 2027. Farmers have time until then to shut operations and sell off the remaining canines. This leaves 500,000 dogs and thousands of farmers in a limbo .
A dog in a cage is pictured during a protest to demand that the government scrap plans to enforce a ban on eating dog meat. File photo/Reuters
7. The 'Wedding of the Century' took place in Venice. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV journalist Lauren Sanchez exchanged vows on Friday (June 27). What followed was a grand celebration. From politicians to businessmen and celebrities, the who's who of the world thronged the San Giorgio island. Here's how much the wedding cost .
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos embrace, as they leave on a boat from Aman Venice hotel, on the third day of their wedding festivities, in Venice, Italy, June 28. Reuters
That's all from us this week. Happy reading. If you like taking a deep dive into the news, come back for more explainers here .
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His argument collapses when seen in the context of one of the fundamental rights enshrined in Article 25, dealing with the freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. In this very article, the word 'secular' is mentioned under clause (2)(a). If he has no trouble with the word 'secular' in the chapter on fundamental rights and he only wants a debate on the word 'secular' enshrined in the preamble, he should also turn to Union home minister Amit Shah who displayed his intense love for the word 'secularism' in the preamble during the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2024. Shah had faced country-wide concerns arising out of strident claims of some BJP MP candidates contesting the elections that the constitution would be changed if the party won 400-plus seats. The concerns around this gained huge traction and Shah could sense that BJP would confront massive electoral loss for such a boastful claim. Amit Shah's new found love for the word 'secular' The entire BJP leadership and cadre was banking on the firm articulations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, that ' Ram is Rashtra ' (Lord Ram is the State) and ' Dev is Desh ' (A Hindu deity is the country) for winning 400 plus Lok Sabha seats. Those articulations were certainly contrary to the constitutional vision of India and Indian State, which is deeply rooted in secularism, held by the Supreme Court as the basic structure of the constitution. Amit Shah was shaken by the mood of the electorate shaped by the opposition parties that by securing a huge majority in the parliament, the BJP would alter the entire constitution. So, he denied the removal of the word on more than one occasion in his election campaign speeches. He desperately tried to negate the campaign that BJP would change the constitution and categorically said that the word 'secular' in the preamble would not even be touched. So, what prompted Dattatreya Hosabale to generate a debate on the words 'secular' and 'socialist' in the preamble to create a public opinion for their eventual deletion? The only possible answer can be found in RSS and BJP's visceral hatred for the Constitution itself. Indira Gandhi's farsighted vision Insertions of the two words in the preamble of the constitution during the Emergency of 1975 testified to the vision of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to protect the constitution itself from those forces who were mobilised by RSS against her under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan. Harish Khare in his article, 'The Emergency's True Legacy: How JP's Naivety Empowered the RSS', writes, 'Thanks to JP, the RSS, the very organisation that created the eco-system for Nathuram Godse to fire those fatal shots at the Mahatma, has worked its way to a 'respectable' place in our national imagination. Not just respect, it now has clout, patronage and veto power in our national affairs.' Intent of Constituent Assembly on secularism All members in the Constituent Assembly worked for establishing the Indian State anchored in secularism. Two exemplary statements to that effect are quoted here to flag the legislative intent of the assembly. RSS and BJP, while vainly appropriating Sardar Patel as their icon, should be mindful of his sensible words uttered in the Constituent Assembly on October 14, 1949: "I made it clear that this Constitution of India, of free India, of a secular State will not hereafter be disfigured by any provision on a communal basis." Another eminent member of the Assembly, T.J.M. Wilson outlined the importance of the secular state on November 23, 1949, and flagged the escalating dangers to it. "The greatest achievement, however, of our Constitution," he said, "is its secular character, and the secular State that emerges therefrom". He added, "We have achieved this secular character of the State and we have provided for it in the Constitution." He cautioned, "But the clouds are gathering and are threatening to darken the secular character of the State and obliterate it". "I only pray and trust," he affirmed, "that the progressive forces of this country, under the guidance and leadership of our great and beloved Prime Minister(Jawaharlal Nehru) will clear away those clouds and shall not allow our country to pass once again through that destruction and misery which most of the nations of Europe and Asia had to pass before they could accomplish this great achievement of a secular State." That legacy of the Constituent Assembly and Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi constitute a categorical imperative to save the constitution and secularism. S.N. Sahu served as Officer on Special Duty to President of India K.R. Narayanan.
