This Week in Explainers: Were Iran’s nuclear sites ‘totally obliterated’ as Trump claims?

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.

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).

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.

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.

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. Why is the young politician so divisive?

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.

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 .

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 .

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 .