Pakistan Claims It Shot Down 5 Indian Jets Following Cross-Border Strikes
ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Air Force has reportedly downed five Indian Air Force jets in response to India’s recent missile strikes, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced early Wednesday.
Speaking to Geo TV, Asif confirmed, “The Pakistan Air Force has successfully shot down at least five Indian fighter jets in retaliation for India’s cross-border attacks.”
Earlier, military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed to CNN that two Indian aircraft had been downed, with reports of additional damage inflicted by Pakistani forces. “We can confirm at least two Indian Air Force jets have been brought down,” he said.
Indian authorities have yet to respond publicly to these claims.
The escalation follows missile strikes launched by India targeting multiple cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, Muzaffarabad, and Kotli. According to Chaudhry, the strikes resulted in at least eight deaths, 35 injuries, and two people missing.
Pakistani defense sources reported that the downed Indian jets—three Rafale fighters, a MiG-29, and an SU-30—were intercepted while attempting to strike Pakistani targets from Indian airspace.
The Line of Control (LoC) remains a hotspot, with ongoing cross-border shelling reported between the two armies.
Tensions have sharply escalated since the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 dead. India has accused Pakistan of facilitating the attack, a claim Islamabad denies.
Amid rising hostilities, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed outreach to both nations’ security advisers, urging a peaceful resolution. “We are closely monitoring the situation and continue to engage both sides to de-escalate,” Rubio stated on X.
In response to the heightened conflict, Pakistan has closed its airspace for 48 hours, while India has temporarily shut several northern airports, including Srinagar Airport in Jammu and Kashmir. Major airlines, including Qatar Airways, have suspended flights to Pakistan until further notice