Pakistan says it downed 5 Indian jets as retaliation for late-night strikes at 5 sites

Key highlights:

• India launches late-night strikes at sites of Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh and Muzaffarabad
• Three Pakistanis killed, 12 injured, mosques targeted
• Five Indian jets downed in military retaliation
• Indian brigade headquarters, Indian checkpost along Line of Control destroyed
• Flights on ground put on hold while all inbound, outbound flights diverted to Karachi
• National Security Committee meeting summoned at 10am
• Trump terms India's actions a "shame"

The Pakistan military has brought down five Indian jets in retaliation for late-night strikes by its neighbouring country, launched after midnight at the sites of Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh and Muzaffarabad, reports DAWN, citing state media.

The same was confirmed by Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said that the response is ongoing, but did not share operational details, the report states, citing Sky News.

"We shot down two Indian planes and we are responding to Indian aggression right now as we speak," he told the British broadcaster.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in an interview on CNN: "I can confirm that two aircraft of the Indian Air force have been taken down. The locations I have so far are around Bhatinda in India [Punjab] and Akhnoor [in occupied Kashmir]."

At 3:42am, Pakistan's state broadcaster PTV reported, "Pakistan Air Force shot down another Indian Rafale aircraft 17 nautical miles southwest of Awantipora. So far, Pakistan Air Force has shot down five fighter jets of the Indian Air Force

"Indian media, in a state of frenzy, is continuously running fabricated stories about losses of Pakistani Air Force and false claims of damaged aircraft," PTV added, stating, "No Pakistan Air Force aircraft has sustained any damage."

Earlier, the DG ISPR said three Pakistanis were killed and 12 were injured in "cowardly" missile strikes by India in Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh and Muzaffarabad after midnight, for which retaliation by the military was already underway.

The strikes come as tensions have been escalating intensely between the two countries in the wake of a militant attack in occupied Kashmir's Pahalgam.

A statement by state broadcaster PTV News, quoting security sources, said: "Pakistani forces are giving a befitting reply to Indian aggression. According to initial reports, the Pakistan Air Force has shot down two enemy aircraft.

All Pakistani Air Force aircraft are safe. Pakistan armed forces are giving a befitting reply to the enemy's aggression."

PTV also reported that Pakistan had also destroyed an Indian brigade headquarters in a retaliatory strike. It did not specify the location of the retaliatory strike.

A post from the broadcaster said that India is being given a "befitting response" at multiple locations.

PTV additionally reported that an Indian checkpost in the Dudhnial sector along the Line of Control was destroyed in a missile strike.

"Pak forces are responding to the naked aggression of the enemy," the broadcaster said, citing security sources.

Appearing on British broadcaster Sky News around 2:45am, Tarar said Pakistan's response is ongoing, but did not share operational details.

When asked about the potential for escalation, Tarar said it "is an evolving situation".

He reiterated that Pakistan was expecting an attack by India and said that "they would be the aggressor".

"We offered an investigation into the whole Pahalgam episode, we wanted a fair and transparent investigation. But … India, without evidence, has targeted civilians, women and children. India had no right to do that," he added.

"As the minister for information, I have occupied a seat of responsibility," Tarar said. "I have taken an oath and I will give you verified information."

When asked why India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack, Tarar replied: "This area (Pahalgam) is a good 200 kilometres from the Line of Control. The FIR was filed in 10 minutes, but police arrived after one and a half hours."

Tarar accused India of "running away" from an investigation into the Pahalgam attack and accused India's governing party of "wanting a reason to attack Pakistan".

"We have a high morale and we will respond to Indian aggression," he said.

"India has no evidence whatsoever to link Pakistan to this incident," he stressed. "India has attacked civilians … without any justifiable cause and because we have the right to self-defence, we will defend our country, we will respond."

Questioned about terrorists found hiding in Pakistan in the past, including Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden, Tarar rejected the allegations and reiterated that Pakistan was facing terrorist attacks "every second week".

"If you're talking about the history — the Soviet invasion, the cold war — then that's a different story," he said.

Tarar also maintained that the US had thanked Pakistan for its efforts in the war against terrorism and "for the good fight we are fighting".

"India will now face Pakistan's very fierce response, because we are never the aggressors," he said.

Referring to Pahalgam, Tarar said India "is questioning its own government".

"They have no evidence, they have no facts and they ran away from the investigation which Pakistan had offered," the minister added. They attacked our civilians, they attacked our mosque today, they attacked five localities. Pakistan will now respond and will respond very, very effectively.

"Our desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness," he said.

When asked about India's strikes, Tarar said that no terrorist infrastructure was hit.

"When I took foreign and local journalists to a village near the LoC … tomorrow morning, I was planning to take them to Bahawalpur and Muridke to show them where the strikes have occurred, to show that the local population is living there.

"We totally deny India's allegations regarding terrorists," Tarar maintained. "We have complete evidence that women and children have been targeted, there are civilian casualties in this and we will bring the evidence to foreign and local media. There are no terrorist camps."

Questioned about the possibility of de-escalation, Tarar said that the situation is ongoing, adding, "let's see how it turns out".

Meanwhile, in a post on X, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar strongly condemned the attacks, accusing India of "jeopardising regional peace".

"Pakistan strongly condemns India's aggression, which is [a] flagrant violation of Pakistan's sovereignty, the UN Charter and international law," he wrote. "Pakistan reserves the right to respond as per Article 51 of the UN Charter. We will protect our sovereignty & territorial integrity by all means."

Condemning the Indian attack, Pakistan foreign ministry said in an unprovoked and blatant act of war, the Indian Air Force, while remaining within Indian airspace, violated Pakistan's sovereignty using standoff weapons, targeting the civilian population across international border in Muridke and Bahawalpur, and across Line of Control in Kotli and Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, reports DAWN.

"India's act of aggression has resulted in martyrdom of civilians, including women and children. This act of aggression has also caused grave threat to commercial air traffic.

"We strongly condemn India's cowardly action, which is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms of inter-state relations.

In the wake of Pahalgam attack, the Indian leadership has once again used the bogey of terrorism to advance its sham narrative of victimhood, jeopardising regional peace and security. India's reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict."

The Pak Foreign Office said the situation continues to evolve and Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with the Article-51 of the UN Charter, and as enshrined in international law.

"The government, armed forces and people of Pakistan stand united in the face of Indian aggression. They will always act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan."

When asked by reporters at the White House about the strikes, US President Donald Trump called India's actions a "shame".

"It's a shame we 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," he said. "They've been fighting for many decades … I just hope it ends very quickly."

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is very concerned about Indian military operations in Pakistan and AJK, his spokesperson said, while calling for maximum military restraint from India and Pakistan.

"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan."