Pakistan says 5 Indian jets downed in response to deadly missile strikes

Pakistan’s armed forces have downed five Indian aircraft, security sources and the country’s defense minister confirmed Wednesday, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors escalated following deadly Indian missile strikes that killed eight civilians.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif called the day’s events “a turning point” and warned of a broader military response. “They will not be allowed to walk away from this,” he said.

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Pakistan's military said eight civilians had been killed and 35 others injured in a series of Indian strikes on Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab. Two individuals remain missing.

In a press briefing, military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif provided a detailed breakdown of the casualties and locations hit:

• Ahmedpur East: Four strikes hit Masjid Subhan, killing five civilians, including a 3-year-old girl, two men, and two women. Thirty-one others were injured. The mosque was destroyed.

• Muzaffarabad: Seven strikes targeted Masjid Bilal near Shahiwali Nallah. One girl was injured.

• Kotli: Five strikes on Masjid Abbas killed two people and injured a 16-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy.

• Muridke: Four missiles hit a mosque, killing one man and injuring another. Two people are missing.

• Sialkot (Kotli Loharan): Two strikes; one misfired and the other landed in an open field. No injuries reported.

• Shakargarh: Two missiles caused minor damage to a dispensary.

Sharif said India used standoff weapons while remaining inside its own airspace. “This was a cowardly act from a coward enemy,” he said, vowing a continued and forceful response.

Five Indian jets downed

Security sources claimed that the Pakistan Air Force downed five jets in a swift counter-operation. All Pakistani aircraft involved in the response returned safely to base, they added.

Pakistan’s civil aviation authority has closed the country’s airspace for 48 hours in response to the strikes.

'Unprovoked and blatant act of war'

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also strongly condemned what it called an unprovoked and blatant act of war by India.

The press release stated that the Indian Air Force, while remaining within Indian airspace, violated Pakistan’s sovereignty by using standoff weapons to strike civilian areas across the international border in Muridke and Bahawalpur, as well as across the Line of Control in Kotli and Muzaffarabad.

“These strikes resulted in the martyrdom of civilians, including women and children,” the statement said, adding that India’s actions also posed a “grave threat to commercial air traffic”.

Pakistan accused India of exploiting the recent attack in Pahalgam to promote a “sham narrative of victimhood” and warned that India’s “reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict.”

“The situation continues to evolve,” the Foreign Ministry said. “Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

It concluded by asserting that the government, armed forces, and people of Pakistan “stand united” and “will always act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.”

'Chaos spread in the entire city'

Bilal Khan, a resident of Bahawalpur, described witnessing the aftermath of the strike.

“I was on the rooftop at around 12:30 a.m. when I heard four blasts. A nearby mosque and residential area were hit. I ran to inform my family,” Khan said.

“Soon after, chaos spread in the entire city and Pakistan Army personnel took control. They told people to keep their lights off and stay indoors.”

Pakistan apprises UNSC of 'Indian aggression'

As per a statement, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN in New York has informed the President of the UN Security Council, the President of the General Assembly and the UN Secretary General about “the blatant aggression by India in gross violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and international law, endangering international peace and security”.

The UNSC has been informed that “Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately to this aggression at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with its right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter”.

India's response

India, meanwhile, issued a formal statement Wednesday night claiming responsibility for the strikes under “Operation Sindoor”. It said the targets were “terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature,” the statement said. “No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.”

Indian officials claimed the strikes were in response to planned cross-border attacks, but did not provide evidence or further details. The statement said India had exercised restraint in selecting targets and execution.

PM Shehbaz condemns Indian strikes

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned what he termed “cowardly attacks” by the “enemy” on five locations across Pakistan, vowing a strong response to the aggression.

In a statement on X, the prime minister said Pakistan reserves every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India. “A strong and proportionate response is already underway,” he said.

He added that the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan armed forces, and that the morale and spirit of the people remain high.

“The Pakistani nation and its armed forces know well how to confront the enemy,” PM Shehbaz said. “We will never allow the enemy to succeed in its malicious objectives.”

Trump calls Indian strikes ‘a shame’

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the Indian strikes were a "shame."

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had just heard about the intensification of hostilities that had occurred in recent hours.

UN chief urges restraint

Responding to questions from reporters, the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the Secretary-General is “very concerned” about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and the international border.

“He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries,” the spokesperson said. “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”

Rising tensions

The cross-border strike marks the latest escalation in a series of rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistani fighter jets intercepted Indian Rafale warplanes near the Line of Control, forcing them to retreat, according to Pakistan’s Associated Press news agency.

Four Indian jets were reportedly seen patrolling in Indian-administered Kashmir shortly after midnight, prompting Pakistan to scramble its own aircraft.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had earlier warned of a likely Indian strike, citing intelligence reports. “India will bear full responsibility for any consequences,” he said.

The missile attack follows days of increased military activity along the border. While Pakistan denied Indian claims of nightly exchanges of fire, its state media reported that an Indian drone had been shot down recently for violating Pakistani airspace.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level security meeting earlier this week and reportedly gave his military “complete operational freedom.”

The current standoff echoes the 2019 crisis after the Pulwama attack, when Indian fighter jets struck targets in Pakistan’s Balakot region. That incident led to retaliatory strikes and the downing of an Indian MiG-21 by Pakistan, significantly raising fears of wider war.

Military officials in Pakistan said updates on their response would continue to be shared. DG ISPR reiterated that Pakistan retains the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”

“This heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” he said.