Tomcats Down? Israel Strikes Iran's Prized American-Made Fighter Jets

The Israeli Air Force said on Sunday that it carried out strikes on facilities housing Iran's F-14 Tomcat fighter jets at an airport in Isfahan.

"In a wide-scale Air Force strike directed by Military Intelligence, facilities storing F-14 fighter jets belonging to the Iranian terror regime were attacked yesterday at the airport in Isfahan," the Israeli army said in a statement.

The operation followed earlier strikes targeting Iranian aircraft in Tehran.

"This attack joins the destruction of 16 aircraft used by the 'Quds Force' unit at the 'Mehrabad' airport in Tehran on the previous day, as part of efforts to deepen the Air Force's air superiority in Iranian skies," the statement added.

"The IDF will continue to deepen the damage to all of the Iranian terrorist regime's assets and expand air superiority throughout Iran," the military added.

Israeli forces had already targeted Iranian aircraft a day earlier at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran.

The military said 16 aircraft linked to the Quds Force unit were destroyed as part of a campaign to gain "aerial dominance" over Iran.

Previously, in 2025, Israel released footage showing two F-14A Tomcat jets being struck by air-to-ground munitions while parked outside reinforced aircraft shelters at Mehrabad.

Iran's American Tomcats

The F-14 Tomcat is a Cold War-era fighter aircraft built in the United States. Iran received 79 of the aircraft in 1976 when the country was still ruled by the Shah. After the 1979 Isla

The F-14 became famous after appearing in the 1986 film Top Gun, but the aircraft was gradually phased out of service by the US Navy. In 2006, the United States retired the fighter jet and replaced it with the F-18.

Iran, however, continued flying the aircraft long after they disappeared from Western militaries. Today, the Islamic Republic remains the only country still operating the twin-engine fighter. However, it is unclear how many of those jets remain airworthy.

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Hungary Seizes Millions In Cash And Gold From Ukrainian Convoy, Seven Detained

A diplomatic dispute between Hungary and Ukraine has intensified after Hungarian authorities seized armoured bank vehicles carrying large quantities of cash and gold reportedly linked to a Ukrainian state bank.

Officials in Hungary said the convoy was transporting $40 million and 35 million Euro in cash along with about 9 kilograms of gold when it was stopped by customs authorities. Seven Ukrainian citizens travelling with the vehicles were detained.

Hungary's National Tax and Customs Administration said it had opened a money-laundering investigation into the shipment. Authorities also claimed that one of the detainees was a former general from Ukraine's intelligence services, raising further suspicions about the origins of the funds.

However, Ukraine rejected the accusations. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Budapest of "taking hostages and stealing money." Ukraine's state savings bank, Oschadbank, said the convoy was on a routine transfer of cash and gold between Austria and Ukraine, carried out by road due to restrictions on air travel during the war.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's political director, Balazs Orban, questioned the legitimacy of the shipment. In a post on social media, he said armoured vehicles carrying large quantities of cash and gold across Hungary was not typical of normal financial transactions.

The incident comes amid wider tensions between the two countries over energy supplies and Hungary's opposition to additional European Union support for Ukraine. Recently, Orban blocked new EU sanctions against Russia and vetoed a proposed 90 billion Euro loan package for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also sparked controversy after warning that one EU leader should not obstruct the financial package, remarks that were widely interpreted in Hungary as directed at Orban.

Hungarian officials later said the detained Ukrainians would be expelled from the country, though it remains unclear what will happen to the seized money and gold.

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Abhishek Sent Brutal 'Headless Batting' Message After Flop Show vs England

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern regarding batter Abhishek Sharma's recent form following India's T20 World Cup semi-final against England. Abhishek made just nine runs off seven balls before losing his wicket to Will Jacks in the second over. This latest performance extended a difficult run for the 25-year-old left-hander, who has managed scores of 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10, and 9 - a total of 89 runs at an average of 12.71. Speaking on his YouTube channel, "Ash Ki Baat," Ashwin said that while he doesn't want Abhishek to be dropped for the final, he wants the team management to instill sense into him on how to play according to the situation.

"Abhishek Sharma has that factor. In the series against New Zealand, he was in top form. He has batted well against Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in the past. So I wouldn't be too fussed about Abhishek. But I would like to have a conversation with him. I would tell him, 'Listen, there's a plan against you.' So don't try hard to hit the ball," said Ashwin.

Speaking on Abhishek's dismissal against England, Ashwin noted that there was no need for him to go after Jacks, especially after having already hit him for two boundaries earlier in the over. Ashwin argued that he should have instead taken a single to rotate the strike to the in-form Sanju Samson.

"In the semi-final against England, I think it was headless batting from him. I am a big fan of his gameplay. He scored eight runs against Jacks, but he intended to score 30 runs against him. Sometimes, you have to leave the ball. Sanju Samson is going so well at the other end, so you just need to take the single and get to the other end. You will get your tee time," he added.

The veteran all-rounder also urged head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav not to put undue pressure on Abhishek.

"Abhishek is a damn good talent, but I just want to know what sort of conversations are being had with him. Is he coming under too much pressure? If you give him more pressure, then he will look to hit the ball harder. He is a fluent player who relies on timing. You have to keep him in good space, and I will continue with him," Ashwin noted.

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'No Deal With Iran Except Unconditional Surrender': Trump

US President Donald Trump on Friday demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" as the only acceptable outcome to end hostilities, while promising to help rebuild the country's economy if Tehran complied and installed new leadership.

"There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The post came as Israel bombarded regime targets in Tehran and Hezbollah positions in Beirut, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said US strikes against Iran were "about to surge dramatically."

Trump said that following any capitulation by the Islamic Republic, the United States and its allies would work to bring Iran "back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before."

This would be contingent on the installation of what he called "a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s)."

He closed with a new slogan — "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!)" — a riff on his "Make America Great Again" political brand.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Arjun Tendulkar Plays Match One Day After Wedding Celebrations, Stuns Internet

Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar, was back in action just one day after his wedding celebrations. The all-rounder, who was picked by Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026 auction, took part in the DY Patil T20 Cup semifinal match on Friday. He played for DY Patil Blue in the encounter against Mumbai Customs but his match ended up losing the game by five wickets. Arjun had a disappointing outing as well as he made just 9 runs in 14 balls and conceded 20 runs in the only over that he bowled. Arjun also played on the day before his wedding with Saaniya Chandhok during his team's last league stage match against Canara Bank.

The dedication level of Arjun Tendulkar:

5th March - He got married to Saaniya Chandhok in Mumbai.

6th March Today - He has played Semi-final for DY Patil Blue vs Mumbai Customs.

People often troll Arjun Tendulkar and say he gets chances only because of his father's name.… pic.twitter.com/xYWB6en7q9

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) March 6, 2026

Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar expressed heartfelt gratitude to fans, friends, and well-wishers for their love and blessings following the wedding of his son Arjun Tendulkar with Saaniya Chandhok.

Tendulkar thanked everyone who extended their wishes to the couple and the family during the wedding celebrations held in the city, through a post on social media.

“As Arjun and Saaniya begin this new chapter together, we feel incredibly grateful for the love and blessings pouring in from everyone. Your presence, messages, and heartfelt wishes have made this wedding a truly unforgettable occasion for the family and, most importantly, for the couple. Thank you very much,” Tendulkar wrote in a post on X.

Arjun and Saaniya tied the knot on Thursday in an intimate yet star-studded ceremony. The wedding celebrations were attended by several prominent figures from the cricket fraternity as well as close friends and family members.

The couple had earlier announced their engagement in August 2025 in a private ceremony attended by their close circle.

In the days leading up to the wedding, several traditional pre-wedding functions such as mehendi and sangeet ceremonies were organised, bringing together many well-known personalities from the cricketing world.

Saaniya comes from a well-known business family and is the granddaughter of industrialist Ravi Ghai, chairman of the Graviss Group. She has also been closely associated with the Tendulkar family for years and reportedly shares a strong bond with Arjun's sister Sara.

Arjun, meanwhile, continues to build his cricketing career on the domestic circuit and currently represents the Goa cricket team. After previously being part of the Mumbai Indians, the left-arm all-rounder has been traded to the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

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Mohammad Amir Predicts India's Defeat Against England. Gives Big Reason

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir did not hesitate to make another bold prediction about India's T20 World Cup campaign, despite seeing his earlier semi-final calls fall flat. Amir, who had backed West Indies to beat India in the Super 8 match, has now given England the upper hand against Suryakumar Yadav's men in the semi-final on Thursday. Sharing his analysis of India's performances so far, Amir feels the team has not been able to deliver as a unit. Hence, he believes England are likely to get the better of them in the semi-final.

The two teams will face off at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, a venue expected to produce a high-scoring contest. Amir feels England will have a greater chance of winning if they bat second.

"It's a match on a good wicket. Like Rashid Bhai said, if England bat second, there will be more chances. Because it's a high-scoring game in Mumbai," the former Pakistan pacer said on the Haarna Mana Hai show.

Mohammad Amir said, "India are relying on just one or two players. Most of their batting is out of form. Right now, only a one or two players are carrying the team. When you depend on one or two players, you can't dominate, that's why England are favourites against India." pic.twitter.com/obJEjPWYAq

— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) March 5, 2026

With the likes of Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson performing only in isolated instances, Amir does not feel the Indian team is ready to sail into the final yet. The form of Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav is also a concern for the veteran left-arm pacer.

"But if you talk about India, only one or two of their batters are performing. That batter often takes it all the way, but only one or two are able to perform. If you look at their overall batting, it is not in form.

"Ishan Kishan only performed against us. Abhishek Sharma is out of form. Tilak Verma did not make an impact. Suryakumar Yadav has done nothing since he came into the Super 8s. Sanju has done it. Bumrah is doing it," he said.

"You cannot be sure that this team will dominate. I think England will be the favourites," Amir concluded.

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Pakistan Down To 28 Days Of Fuel, Eyes WFH, Online Classes Amid Hormuz Crisis

Pakistan is planning to consider Covid-era measures to reduce fuel consumption such as mandatory work-from-home and online classes as it faces a severe energy crisis because of the Strait of Hormuz closure. 

The Revolutionary Guards said it had already made clear, in line with international law and relevant resolutions, that the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to regulate passage through the Strait of Hormuz during wartime.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has stated that the Strait of Hormuz is closed exclusively to vessels from the United States, Israel, Europe and their Western allies.

Damage at the military harbour in Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, 2026.
Photo Credit: AFP

Currently, Pakistan has petrol and diesel stocks for only about 28 days, crude oil reserves for 10 days and LPG supplies for 15 days, according to its Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.

Read | Oil Hope For India? Iran Says Hormuz Strait Only Closed To US, Israel, Europe

According to a report by Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the Shehbaz Sharif government is set to take several measures to counter the issue, such as a weekly revision of petrol pricing, compensating oil companies for elevated costs of insurance and import premiums and fuel conservation measures.

The government may encourage corporates to adopt two days of remote working every week and that only essential staff be present in offices this month. Moreover, there are proposals to urge employees to share rides. There could also be a possibility of making educational institutions turn to online sessions.

The strait has been closed practically since the United States and Israel began their joint military operation against Iran on Saturday. The strategic waterway carries roughly one-fifth of all oil transported by sea worldwide, making it a cornerstone of global energy supplies.

Read | How Did The Strait Of Hormuz, Oil Artery In Iran Get Its Name?

On Tuesday, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had said that he 'made Iran understand' that the defence agreement with Saudi Arabia could draw them into the war too. However, Pakistan cannot afford a war when it is already engaged in another conflict with Afghanistan and especially when its economy is in shambles.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel located between Iran and Oman that links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Spanning roughly 55 kilometres at its narrowest point, it is regarded as one of the most vital and heavily used maritime routes globally, particularly for the energy trade.

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