Three Indian fighter jets downed following cross-border strikes
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s military announced early Wednesday that it had shot down three Indian Air Force fighter jets in response to a series of airstrikes conducted by India after midnight.
The Indian operation, reportedly named “Operation Sindoor,” targeted locations in Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, and Muzaffarabad.
Calling its campaign “Operation Sindoor”, India said it struck nine Pakistani sites on Wednesday that were “terrorist infrastructure” where attacks against it were orchestrated. Islamabad said six Pakistani locations were targeted, according to Reuters news agency.
Indian forces attacked the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Indian defence source told Reuters.
“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” a statement from India said.
The conflict reportedly began around 1am when Indian aircraft entered Pakistani airspace and carried out strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan’s Air Force responded swiftly, downing two Indian jets by 2:45am, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. A third jet was confirmed shot down at approximately 3:42am.
“We shot down two Indian planes and we are responding to Indian aggression right now as we speak,” Tarar told Sky News, while declining to provide further operational details.
Military spokespersons later updated the situation, confirming no damage to Pakistan’s aircraft. According to state broadcaster PTV, the third downed jet was a Rafale, struck 17 nautical miles southwest of Awantipora.
Meanwhile, Minister Chaudhry, speaking to CNN, identified the crash sites of the first two jets as near Bhatinda in Indian Punjab and Akhnoor in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.
PTV also criticized Indian media, accusing it of circulating “fabricated stories” about Pakistani losses and damage to its air force, asserting that no Pakistani aircraft had been harmed in the exchange.
The situation remains fluid, with ongoing military activity reported along the border regions.
World leaders reacts
World leaders have reacted sharply to the Indian late night incursions into Pakistan after days of tensions following the Pahalgam incident in occupied Kashmir.
US President Donald Trump said: “It’s a shame. Just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades. I hope it ends very quickly.”
Secretary of State
“I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo @POTUS’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution.”
UN secretary general
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”