In a major escalation of hostilities, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Five Indian jets following airstrikes conducted by India on multiple Pakistani cities, security sources confirmed. The Indian military launched the strikes from within its own airspace, targeting six locations in Pakistan: Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Ahmedpur East, and Muridke.
Civilian Casualties and National Response
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed in a press briefing that eight civilians were martyred, and 33 others were injured in the attacks, which also struck a mosque in Bahawalpur’s Ahmed East area. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) responded swiftly and forcefully, bringing down three Rafale jets, one MiG-29, and one Su-30. A Heron drone was also downed during the retaliation, according to security officials.
Pakistan Strikes Back Across the LoC
Pakistan’s military response went beyond air defense. Security officials confirmed that Pakistan destroyed the Indian Army’s Gufdaar post along the Line of Control (LoC) and later targeted and destroyed the 12th Infantry Brigade Headquarters of the Indian Army’s 15 Corps, part of the 9th Division. These actions, officials stated, were part of a “crushing response” to unprovoked Indian aggression.
Additionally, an Indian surveillance drone was brought down in Barnala, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Pakistani forces are reportedly in full control of the situation along the LoC, forcing Indian troops to retreat.
Targeting of Civilians Condemned
Local authorities and security sources confirmed that Indian strikes deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure. Visual evidence from the bombed areas supports the claim that no military installations were hit. AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq denounced the attacks as cowardly, revealing that a woman and a child were among those killed in the Kotli strike. He reaffirmed AJK’s support for the Pakistan Armed Forces, promising a coordinated response.
Also Read:
India Launches Missile Strikes on Pakistan, Fueling Regional Tensions
India Confirms Strikes, Offers Few Details
India’s Ministry of Defence officially acknowledged conducting airstrikes inside Pakistan, claiming to have targeted nine sites but without specifying the nature or location of those targets. This admission came amid rising tensions following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan—a claim Islamabad denies, calling instead for an independent international investigation.
National Readiness and Airspace Alert
Amidst fears of further escalation, a red alert was declared at the New Islamabad International Airport, and flight operations were suspended. Pakistani airspace in affected regions has been temporarily closed to commercial traffic.
DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that the Indian attacks were launched under the cover of night and avoided direct airspace intrusion. However, he warned, “Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its choosing. This shameful provocation will not go unanswered.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also issued a severe warning, declaring that a military clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors is “inevitable” and could occur “at any moment.”
