The day was dominated by a rapid escalation in the US-Iran conflict. Evening headlines reported US strikes on Iranian missile and drone sites in retaliation for an attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Within hours, Iran claimed retaliatory strikes on US sites in the Gulf, warning of a 'broader response'. Multiple sources tracked the tit-for-tat, with JD Vance's 'violence will be met with violence' warning widely quoted. The exchange strained the West Asia ceasefire, drawing coverage from Firstpost, Times of India, News18, and The Hindu. Earlier, the Ram Temple donation theft case saw trust general secretary Champat Rai's resignation confirmed, with eight arrests and missing silver items noted. The Ketan Agarwal murder case continued to unfold, with a viral video showing the accused fiancée and her lover at a cricket stadium. A 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan sent tremors across north India in the afternoon. By evening, a major attack on Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi killed three soldiers, covered by Aaj Tak and Firstpost.