Fact Check: US Didn't Use Indian Airspace For Strikes On Iran Nuclear Sites
New Delhi:
The Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has debunked claims circulating on social media that the US military used Indian airspace to carry out its Operation Midnight Hammer, launched against Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
In a post on X on Sunday, the PIB Fact Check unit labelled the assertion as "FAKE" and clarified, "Indian Airspace was NOT used by the United States during Operation Midnight Hammer."
Several social media posts alleged that US forces utilised Indian airspace to conduct military strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
The fact-checking body cited a press briefing by the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, who detailed the alternative routes taken by US aircraft, dismissing the claims as baseless.
"Several social media accounts have claimed that Indian Airspace was used by the United States to launch aircraft against Iran during Operation Midnight Hammer. This claim is FAKE. Indian Airspace was NOT used by the United States during Operation Midnight Hammer. During the Press Briefing, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen Dan Caine explained the route used by US aircraft," the Fact Check unit stated in its post on X.
Several social media accounts have claimed that Indian Airspace was used by the United States to launch aircrafts against Iran during Operation #MidnightHammer #PIBFactCheck
❌ This claim is FAKE
❌Indian Airspace was NOT used by the United States during Operation… pic.twitter.com/x28NSkUzEh
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 22, 2025
Earlier on Sunday, after the strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said Operation Midnight Hammer was designed to "severely degrade Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure".
While holding a press briefing at the Pentagon, General Caine presented a detailed map and timeline of the operation, which showed that none of the US aircraft entered the Indian airspace.
Detailing the operation, General Caine stated, "At approximately 6:40 PM EST, 2:10 am Iran time, the lead B-2 two dropped GBU 57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow."
"As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40 PM and 7:05 PM EST (2:10 AM local time Iran), with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Isfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation," he added.
The US military employed "several deception tactics", including decoys, to maintain tactical surprise, he said.
"As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the US employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the 4th and 5th generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface Air missile threats," he added.
Further, Caine stated that "at midnight Friday and Saturday morning, a large B2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States. As part of the plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the West and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa."
"The main strike package, comprised of seven B2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the East with minimal communications," he added.
The operation was executed by US Central Command under the command of General Erik Kurilla.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said the "very successful" strikes had hit the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan underground nuclear sites in Iran.
Speaking from the White House, Trump announced that America carried out "massive precision" strikes on Iran and warned Tehran of further retaliation if peace was not achieved.
Iran condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of international law and vowed to continue its nuclear program. A statement issued by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) confirmed that early on Sunday morning, Iran's nuclear sites were "subjected to savage aggression--an act in violation of international laws, particularly the NPT."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
This 'F' word is pushing India backword, can't defeat China due to..., why is 6400000000000 scaring India
This 'F' word is pushing India backword, can't defeat China due to…, why is 6400000000000 scaring India Indian states are going to increase their spending on social welfare schemes. It is estimated that these states will spend about 2 percent of their Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), or Rs 6.4 lakh crore in 2025, much more than the previous year's spending. Several states have introduced schemes such as monthly income for women and free travel in government-run buses. These welfare schemes have increased the expenses of the states. This has raised concerns as this level of spending is expected to impact India in many ways. Will India Be Able to Beat China Economically? Notably, to beat China economically, India will have to take visionary steps beyond just spending on social welfare. According to a report by rating agency Crisil, spending huge amounts on welfare schemes has reduced states' ability to spend on infrastructure development and other development works. Crisil analysed the budget of 18 major states which account for nearly 90precent of the total GSDP. The central government, on the other hand, also spends huge amount on several welfare schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Jal Jeevan Mission, PM Kisan, PM Awas Yojana and PM Poshan. The central government has allocated Rs 86,000 crore for MNREGA that too only for this year. What Kind Of Warning Is This? Crisil has warned that increased state spending on welfare programs, particularly those targeting women, children, and marginalised groups, will widen their revenue deficits. This surge in spending, consistent with previous years at 1.4 to1.6 percent of GSDP between FY19 and FY24 will likely curtail states capacity for capital investment. The rise in expenditure is attributed to pre-election initiatives, including income support schemes and free public transportation for women. What Is Needed To Defeat China? To overtake China economically, India has to take concrete and far-sighted steps rather just spending on social welfare schemes. Focus on productive investments India should focus on creation of world-class infrastructure like roads, railways, ports, power, digital connectivity. These developments will reduce logistics costs and boosts industries. Investments in education, healthcare, and skills development is also needed to create a skilled and healthy workforce. India has to work on increasing public and private investment in research and development. This will promote innovation. Notably, China has invested big in this. Development of the manufacturing sector China's robust manufacturing sector significantly contributes to its economic growth. India's economic progress requires bolstering initiatives like 'Make in India' by streamlining manufacturing establishment, offering tax benefits, and enhancing global supply chain integration. Emphasis on exports China has an export-oriented economy. India also needs to expand its export base in high value-added goods and services. Policy stability A stable policy environment is essential to attract investors. Improving the ease of doing business will automatically reduce red tape. Financial discipline Both the states and the Centre must keep the fiscal deficit under control. This will reduce debt and increase revenue.
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Manhattan's progressive man
In a stunning political upset that has caught the eye of political observers and could potentially upend the Democratic Party in the U.S., a new progressive star has emerged: Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the presumptive winner of the New York City mayoral primary. For an Indian progressive uninitiated in American politics, the name Zohran Kwame Mamdani will invoke references to two familiar figures. The 33-year-old is the son of noted postcolonial theorist and academic Mahmood Mamdani, who has written extensively on the legacy of colonialism in Africa, and acclaimed film director Mira Nair. His middle name is, of course, a reference to Kwame Nkrumah, the Ghanaian Pan-Africanist revolutionary leader. But now the younger Mamdani has become a name to be reckoned with on his own accord. By defeating a formidable establishment figure — former Governor Andrew Cuomo — in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary race, Mr. Mamdani has catalysed sharp discourse within the fractured and soul-searching Democratic Party, still reeling from stinging defeats in the presidential and Congressional races in 2024 that heralded the Trump 2.0 era. New York is largely a Democratic stronghold, and the winner of the primary typically goes on to win the mayoral race. In the November Mayoral election, Mr. Mamdani will take on the incumbent, the unpopular Eric Adams, who is expected to run as an independent. Mr. Mamdani's political career is relatively short — he was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020. In the State capital of Albany, he joined a small group of lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a progressive and socialist organisation that was formed in 1982 but truly took flight during Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign in 2016. Since then, it has emerged as a major leftist pressure group operating both within and outside the Democratic Party. Mr. Mamdani's victory is reminiscent of a similar triumph in New York when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (fondly known as AOC) won a Congressional election in the city's 14th district in 2018. While Mr. Mamdani's legislative record is relatively modest in terms of Bills passed, his colleagues acknowledge that his work helped shift the Assembly's ideological emphasis to the left. If elected, Mr. Mamdani would be the city's youngest Mayor since 1917 and the first Muslim to hold the post. Mr. Mamdani's victory was no mean feat. He had to overcome the challenge posed by a candidate with extensive political experience — former two-term New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Cuomo has deep establishment ties and was endorsed by multi-billionaire Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, among others. He was also backed by a super Political Action Committee that raised $25 million to bankroll his candidacy. The fact that Mr. Cuomo had resigned from his gubernatorial duties a few years ago after being embroiled in sexual harassment cases did not deter him from attempting to obscure this record while running a conventional campaign that featured attack ads targeting Mr. Mamdani's identity and views. Grassroots mobilisation Mr. Mamdani overcame these challenges by relying on massive grassroots mobilisation — reportedly 50,000 volunteers organised by the DSA's New York Chapter conducted a door-to-door campaign that reached an astounding 1.5 million doors. Focusing on one key issue — 'affordability' in New York's high-cost economy — Mr. Mamdani pledged to address this through a series of concrete measures. These included freezing rents for nearly a million New Yorkers in rent-stabilised apartments, providing free city buses (based on a pilot programme he had helped start as a lawmaker), creating city-owned grocery stores that would keep food costs low by buying wholesale and operating on city land, and providing childcare for infants and toddlers. The focus on livelihood-based 'bread-and-butter economic issues' helped his campaign build a broad coalition of support, including in neighbourhoods that were won by Donald Trump in the 2024 elections. Notably, Mr. Mamdani's message was tailored to redirect working-class frustration away from the Right's targets — immigrants and marginalised groups — toward a different culprit: billionaires. The endorsements by the doyen of the American democratic Left, Bernie Sanders, and its key public figure, AOC, also bolstered his candidacy. Interestingly, Mr. Mamdani managed to register a strong win while unapologetically taking a pro-Palestine position, accusing Israel of committing 'apartheid and genocide in Gaza', supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and openly embracing his Muslim identity. This stood in sharp contrast to the Democratic Presidential campaign in 2024, where candidate Kamala Harris tacked to the right of centre, refused to halt arms sales to Israel, and did not allow a Palestinian voice to speak at the Democratic Convention. In many ways, Mr. Mamdani's campaign — focused on welfare issues while celebrating his identity as the son of immigrant parents and a practising Muslim — represented everything the Trump administration has demonised during its current tenure. Seen in this light, Mr. Mamdani's victory could possibly be the biggest win for the democratic socialist movement that has taken root in U.S. cities since Mr. Sanders's national campaign. It offers a boost to a demoralised American Left caught between the right-wing populism of Mr. Trump (which has attracted segments of the traditional working class) and what critics see as the vapid centrism of the Democratic Party establishment that refuses to change course, particularly on foreign policy. Inevitably, the question arises: Is Mr. Mamdani's win a blueprint for future success for the beleaguered Democratic Party? His campaign — combining modern social media tools with traditional door-to-door campaigning — managed to generate broad support across a sprawling urban metropolis, offering lessons for other Democratic mobilisations in similar environments across the U.S. A freewheeling, accessible style is clearly a more effective approach than the carefully scripted strategy that cost Democrats in 2024. Road ahead Yet, challenges remain. Republicans are already working to brand Mr. Mamdani as the radical face of the Democratic Party, while the media establishment that supports the GOP has sought to use his identity to tarnish his record, with one Republican Congress representative's fundraising appeal branding him as a 'Hamas Terrorist sympathiser'. His brand of democratic socialism may indeed prove a difficult sell in the small towns and red bastions of middle America. Ultimately, Mr. Mamdani's victory may be less a simple blueprint to be copied and more a mirror held up to the Democratic Party. It has forced a reckoning, proving that a campaign centred on economic justice and unapologetic principles can generate a powerful movement. The question for party leadership is not whether they can perfectly replicate a New York City race, but whether they are willing to embrace the grassroots energy, class-based populism, and bold vision that this stunning victory represents. The future of the party may well depend on their answer.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Israel Iran News Live Updates: Khamanei absent as Iran mourns top military leaders
Israel Iran Ceasefire Live: The surprise ceasefire between Iran and Israel, brokered by the Trump administration, has raised fresh questions about the future of US policy in the Middle East. Despite the truce, uncertainty remains over whether it will hold and how Washington will proceed, particularly with President Trump sidelining traditional diplomatic channels and relying on a small circle of White House advisers. US special envoy Steve Witkoff has called for comprehensive peace talks with Tehran. However, observers note confusion within Iran's leadership and question whether a negotiating team with real authority exists. Despite this, back-channel discussions are reportedly underway. The ceasefire followed US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump claimed had obliterated the programme. But a preliminary US intelligence assessment suggests only limited disruption, with key facilities damaged but not destroyed. Iran retains significant military capability, including the ability to threaten US forces. 01:23 (IST) Jun 29 Israel Iran News Live: Rights groups alarmed as Iran's spy crackdown targets alleged traitors and dissenters Iran's wave of arrests and fast-tracked executions has drawn international concern. Amnesty International condemned the 'grossly unfair trials,' warning the campaign risks becoming a wider crackdown on political opposition. With no access to lawyers and ethnic minorities also detained, observers fear the regime is using the security threat to silence critics under the guise of national defence. 01:22 (IST) Jun 29 Israel Iran News Live: Iran launches spy hunt after Israeli attacks Following Israel's deadly strikes on June 13, Iran has intensified efforts to root out suspected spies. Authorities have urged citizens to report suspicious behaviour like wearing hats or sunglasses at night. More than 10,000 microdrones were reportedly found in Tehran. Officials claim these drones were used in assassinations of nuclear scientists and other top figures. 01:21 (IST) Jun 29 Israel Iran News Live: Iran slams US rhetoric as mourners chant 'boom, boom, Tel Aviv' As black-clad crowds filled Tehran's streets, Iranian state TV showed banners declaring 'Boom, boom, Tel Aviv.' The chants followed sharp US criticism of Khamanei, condemned by Iran's foreign ministry. President Masoud Pezeshkian and Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani were present, but tensions remain high as back-and-forth strikes with Israel leave the region on edge despite the declared ceasefire. 01:20 (IST) Jun 29 Bagheri, Salami, Tehranchi among Iran's fallen honoured Major General Mohammad Bagheri, killed with his wife and daughter, was among those honoured. Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and his wife were also laid to rest. Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, killed on day one of the conflict, will be buried Sunday. Of the 60 dead, four were women and four were children, state media reported. 01:20 (IST) Jun 29 Israel Iran News Live: Khamanei absent as Iran mourns top military leaders Iran held a massive state funeral on Saturday for 60 figures killed in its war with Israel, including top generals and scientists. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei did not attend the ceremony, though he had earlier declared 'victory' in a video message. Thousands of mourners chanted anti-Israel and anti-US slogans, waving photos of the dead. A sudden ceasefire between Israel and Iran, facilitated by the Trump administration, has sparked fresh debate over the future direction of US involvement in the Middle East. While the truce has brought a pause to escalating tensions, analysts remain uncertain about how long it will last — or what comes next. US President Donald Trump, operating largely through a small group of White House advisers and bypassing traditional diplomatic institutions, played a central role in securing the agreement. This unconventional approach has left many questioning the durability of the deal and the strategic goals behind it. US special envoy Steve Witkoff has since urged a broader peace framework involving Tehran. However, confusion within the Iranian leadership has cast doubt on whether any team on the Iranian side has the authority or unity to negotiate meaningful terms. Despite the uncertainty, unofficial communication channels between the two sides are reportedly active. The ceasefire followed recent US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. President Trump had earlier claimed that the attacks crippled Iran's nuclear programme. But a preliminary assessment by American intelligence suggests the strikes caused only limited damage, with several key sites hit but not destroyed. Iran's military remains largely intact and still poses a potential threat to US assets in the region, even as both sides publicly commit to the ceasefire for now. The evolving situation has left many observers cautious, with some warning that the truce could be temporary unless backed by structured negotiations and clearer commitments from both sides.
