All about bunker buster bombs ‘Bunker buster’ is a broad term to describe bombs that penetrate deep below the surface before exploding B-2 Spirit stealth bomber: It can carry a payload of 18,000 kg but the US Air Force has tested a total weight of 27,200 kilograms The roughly 13,600 kilogram precision-guided bomb can attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels kozhikode l monday l june 23, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Iran can have reactors, but can’t enrich uranium: Rubio No reports of radiation from Iran, says IAEA chief 80 injured in Israel as Iran fires volley of missiles Iran will be allowed to operate nuclear power plants but not enrich its own fuel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the Iranian regulatory authorities have reported no increase in off-site radiation levels In this case, it refers to the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb that US used to bomb Iran’s three key nuclear sites Iran fired a barrage of missiles against Israel, targeting Ben Gurion Airport, and other key targets. According to Israeli media, over 80 were injured key sites in iran hit by the U.S. TRUMPFIRE ON IRAN Nuclear SITES Natanz Israeli attacks had already damaged the country’s largest uranium enrichment center Iran Fordo Bunkerbuster bombs were dropped on Iran's most critical nuclear site A merican strikes I sraeli strikes since June 13 Isfahan Near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel is reportedly stored here U.S. bombs Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan ‘obliterated’ them, claims Trump Iran says ‘a very big red line’ crossed, warns of ‘dangerous consequences’ world leaders call for calm A g e n c i e s @ Dubai/Washington/Jerusalem AFter waiting on the sidelines for days, the US on Sunday joined Israel’s war against Iran, bombing three of the country’s major nuclear sites using the rarely deployed GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs and the powerful Tomahawk cruise missiles. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” US President Donald Trump said after the strikes. He said Tehran must now make peace or brace for more attacks. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as the Isfahan nuclear site. Both Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination around the sites. Iran reacted sharply to the attack, saying the US crossed ‘a very big red line’ and warned that there will be ‘dangerous consequences’ and ‘far- Poll panel mulls door-to-door verification of voters in Bihar m u k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi WITH an eye on ensuring greater accuracy in electoral rolls in Bihar where assembly polls are due later this year, the Election Commission on Sunday announced that it was contemplating an intensive house-tohouse verification during the revision of the voter list in the state. Official sources said the move is aimed at freeing the electoral rolls of errors, if any . Officials pointed out that concerns have been raised by various civil society organisations, political parties and others persistently over the inclusion or deletion of names in the electoral rolls. Several parties, including the Congress, have accused the poll authority of fudging data to help the BJP . A source said, “The ECI has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to ensuring that only genuine and eligible citizens are enrolled in the electoral rolls.” reaching implications’. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hit out at the US, saying the attack revealed it was the “main factor behind” Israel’s military campaign in the Islamic republic. Vowing to defend itself at all costs, Iran fired another volley of missiles at Israel, injuring scores of people and damaging buildings. “There is no red line that they have not crossed. And the last one, and the most dangerous one, happened only last night. They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities,” said Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The foreign minister said he would soon fly to Moscow to hold discussions with Russia. “We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” he said, referring to Russia. If US claims that the nuclear sites have been damaged beyond repair are confirmed, it could mark the end of for Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ambitious plan to transform the Islamic Republic into a greater regional power that holds enriched nuclear material a step away from weapons-grade. The developments have caused fears of the conflict intensifying and spreading wider. While the Trump administration said it still wanted to resume diplomatic talks with Iran, Tehran said the time for diplomacy had passed and that it would now do the needful to defend itself. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration does not seek a regime change in Iran. He said the strikes ordered by Trump overnight had “devastated” Iran’s nuclear programme and urged Iranian leaders to seek peace to avoid further attacks. He also sought to clarify that the strikes did not target Iranian troops or civilians. Global leaders responded to the developments with shock and calls for restraint. The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on Sunday. Egypt warned of ‘grave repercussions’ for the region. Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Middle East-based Fifth Fleet, called on Iran and the US to ‘quickly resume talks.’ graphics: Sourav roy Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace Donald Trump, US prez In a green signal to skywalks from three major railway stations in Ernakulam to the adjacent metro stations, a top railway official said the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will be given exemptions for use of land. Earlier, the Railways and KMRL had initiated talks on the construction of skywalks at Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Tripunithura railway stations, but the project reached nowhere despite demands from several quarters. Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager Manish Thaplyal told TNIE that the Railways is okay with the construction of skywalks. “The KMRL will have to construct them. We are ready to give ex- emptions like on the cost for the railway land on which construction is to be done. If KMRL approaches us, we will approve the project. Railways always works to make travelling easy and comfortable for passengers,” Manish said. However, when contacted, KMRL declined to comment. Meanwhile, railway passenger associations pointed out that the construction of skywalks to metro stations will benefit not only passengers but also Kochi Metro. “As per the data released by the Railways in 2024, Ernakulam Junction handles around 128 scheduled train services daily and has an annual footfall of more than 1.96 crore passengers,” said K J Paul Manvettom, president of All Kerala Railway Users Asso● More on P4 ciation.  Nilambur poll results today This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against Iran At three stations There have been demands for skywalks connecting Ernakulam Junction, Town and Tripunithura railway stations with the adjacent metro stations The KMRL will have to construct skywalks. We are ready to give exemptions like on the cost for railway land on which construction is to be done Manish Thaplyal, T’Puram Divisional Railway Manager Counting of votes for the by-election will begin at Chungathara Mar Thoma HSS at 8am on Monday. Results of the first round will be out by around 8.30 am | P4 mystery continues Food thefts prompt massive combing op J a i s o n W i l s o n @Pathanamthitta The mystery surrounding the recent food and grocery thefts in Pathanamthitta just got a whole lot more intriguing! The forest fringes of district witnessed a massive combing operation, involving police and forest officials armed with guns and drones, to nab those behind the thefts. Rumours swirled about the involvement of Maoists, hunters and even a lone recluse behind the missing grub, leaving authorities and residents scratching their heads. However, the day-long search in the forests of Kochu Koikkal, Gurunathanmannu and Kokkathode on Saturday provided little clue. The joint operation was launched following the spate of thefts reported in homes near areas bordering the The joint team of police and forest department officials ahead of the combing operation Sabarimala forest. Cooked food, cooking utensils, and other household items ‘mysteriously disappeared’ from the area, prompting the authorities to intensify their efforts. Initiated as per the instructions of the district police chief, the search was carried out under the supervision of District Special Branch DySP R Weight 13,608 kg Length 20 feet Sreekumar and Konni DySP Ajayanath. Teams from Thannithode, Chittar, Moozhiyar, and Konni police stations collaborated with forest officials in the operation. Apart from them, a 27-member Special Operations Group (SOG) from Malappuram, trained in counter-terrorism and anti-extremist operations, was also deployed. Drone surveillance was used extensively to cover the dense terrain, while an ambulance and a medical team were stationed nearby as precautionary measures. “There were news reports suggesting the presence of Maoists and gangs of hunters. We also had a suspect who was living alone in the jungle. As the thefts became more frequent, our team initiated a search under the instructions of the district police chief,” said Ajay● More on P4 anath.  Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian president How tough a target is Fordo nuke site Fordo is Iran’s second nuclear enrichment facility after Natanz. In addition to being 80 metres underneath, it is protected by Iranian and Russian missiles ■ Iran dials India, Modi calls for de-escalation j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, voicing concern over the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, particularly as New Delhi is wary about rising tensions threatening regional stability . The 45-minute call, initiated by President Pezeshkian following US strikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites, included a detailed briefing on the evolving situation. “India reiterates its call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” Modi said after the call. Pezeshkian described India as a friend and partner. He expressed appreciation for India’s consistent stance advocating dialo gue and diplomacy. “India’s voice and role is important in restoring regional peace,” Pezeshkian told Modi. Buzz on closure of Strait of Hormuz Agencies Rlys open to skywalks linking major stations to Kochi Metro A n u K u r u v i l l a @ Kochi It’s believed to be able to penetrate about 61 metres below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ Amid the escalating tensions with Israel and the additional conflict of US strikes on Iran, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi was asked about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He responded, saying that “a variety of options are available to Iran”. The Strait, located between Iran and Oman, and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south, is the passage for one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption. Iran’s parliament has approved the plan to close the Strait of Hormuz - the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points -- and the country’s Supreme Nation- al Security Council will take the final call, Iranian media reported on Sunday . If Iran decides to close the strait, it will impact global oil and gas shipments. According to estimates, around 20% of the world’s oil and gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz. The reported move follows US strikes on three Iranian military sites early on Sunday .