Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply, with Pakistan’s military confirming that a response is under way following an overnight Indian airstrike.
According to military sources in Islamabad, Pakistani forces have shot down at least two Indian aircraft, and there are unconfirmed reports that a third fixed-wing plane may also have been downed.
The Indian airstrike reportedly began shortly after midnight, local time, with witnesses on the ground describing the roar of fighter jets overhead. In response, Pakistani aircraft were seen scrambling, and military sources say Pakistan launched counterstrikes, including the destruction of a brigade headquarters on the Indian side.
The BBC has reported that along the Line of Control, which divides Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, there has been heavy shelling, prompting civilians to flee the area in fear. An emergency has now been declared across the region.
Adding to the rising tensions, Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, claimed in a post on X that Pakistan has also shot down a third Indian aircraft as well as an Indian drone, calling it a “befitting retaliation” against what Pakistan views as Indian aggression.
According to Indian officials, the targets were described as ‘terrorist infrastructure,’ linked to a recent deadly attack on Hindu pilgrims in Indian Kashmir that left 26 people dead.
In a swift response, Pakistan’s armed forces retaliated by striking Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistani officials report they successfully shot down five Indian fighter jets during the exchange. A military spokesperson in Islamabad stated that six Pakistani locations were hit in the Indian assault but firmly denied that any were terrorist camps. Tragically, the Pakistani military confirmed that at least 26 civilians were killed, and 46 others wounded in the attacks.
The conflict marks the most serious military clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in more than twenty years, raising alarm bells across the international community. As the situation unfolds, global leaders are calling for restraint and immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
This latest exchange follows a period of heightened hostilities between the two nuclear-armed nations, raising global concerns about the possibility of broader conflict.
We will continue to bring you updates on this fast-moving story.
Reporting by Carl Montel.
