India Launches Military Operation Against Pakistan: Live Updates
By Rhea Mogul, Sophia Saifi, Aishwarya S. Iyer, Aditi Sangal, Elise Hammond, Tori B. Powell, Jessie Yeung and Lex Harvey, CNN
India strikes Pakistan in wake of Kashmir massacre. Pakistan says 5 Indian planes downed
Pakistani shelling kills seven people in Indian-administered Kashmir, Reuters reports, citing police
The Pakistani army’s shelling across the frontier in Kashmir killed seven civilians and wounded 35 in the Indian part of the region, police there said.
Smoke billows after an artillery shell landed in Poonch district in India’s Jammu and Kashmir region on Wednesday.
India says military strikes targeted “terrorist infrastructure” after Pakistan failed to act against such groups
India on Wednesday said its military strikes on Pakistan targeted Lashkar-e-Tayyiba “terrorist infrastructure” sites after Pakistan failed to act against the groups based in its territory behind a massacre of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.
The operation – dubbed “Operation Sindoor” – lasted for 25 minutes from 1.05 a.m.-1.30 a.m. local time, Col. Sofiya Qureshi said in a press conference.
The strikes were the furthest conducted by India inside Pakistani territory since their war in 1971.
None of the three Indian officials who spoke at the briefing responded to a claim from Pakistan that it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets during India’s attack on Wednesday. CNN has been unable to verify the claim.
The briefing started with a video montage of the aftermath of attacks on India through the years that New Delhi has blamed on its neighbor Pakistan – and which Pakistan has long denied.
The officials also showed footage of what they said were strikes on the targets in Pakistan.
The officials showed a map marking locations of what they said were several Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and inside Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri again blamed Pakistan for the April attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir and accused Islamabad of supporting “terrorism” in the disputed region.
The targets were selected based on “intelligence,” Misri said.
Qureshi said no military installation was targeted in the operation and there had been no reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan.
Pakistan said the attack killed at least eight people, including children. Pakistan also said five Indian Air Force planes and a drone were shot down during the attack.
26 civilians killed in India attacks, Reuters reports, citing Pakistan military spokesperson
At least 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured due to Indian army action, a Pakistan military spokesperson said, according to Reuters.
Much Indian news coverage of the attack strikes nationalist tone
Heavily nationalist rhetoric has colored the coverage from many Indian news channels since New Delhi’s strikes against Pakistan.
“How India crushed the enemy,” flashed a headline on one news channel. “India strikes Pakistan hard,” read another.
One news organization carried an image depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a Captain America-esque shield with the colors of the Indian national flag.
On some channels, animations of military jets and explosions could be seen across screens as anchors covered “Operation Sindoor,” the official name of India’s military attack on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Such jingoism is not uncommon for India’s often loud and boisterous media, which has been accused of toeing the government line.
Modi aims to govern a proud, nationalistic nation that believes in its ability to handle difficult situations. Following the tourist massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir, many media outlets immediately called for blood.
Indian-administered Kashmir authorities order evacuation of citizens from “vulnerable areas”
Modi right-hand man “proud of our armed forces”
A key ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is “proud of our armed forces” following the country’s strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“#OperationSindoor is Bharat’s response to the brutal killing of our innocent brothers in Pahalgam,” Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X, using the Hindi name for India. Shah has been beside Modi’s side for decades and is often referred to as the second most powerful person in India.
Wednesday’s strikes come more than two weeks after militants killed 26 civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir. New Delhi pinned the massacre on Pakistan, though Islamabad denied involvement.
China expresses regret over India’s military strikes, calling for calm and restraint
China has expressed regret over India’s military action against Pakistan and said it’s concerned about the current developments.
As the conflict between Pakistan and India escalates, China has found itself in a diplomatic tight spot.
For weeks, Beijing has been closely watching the tit-for-tat responses between its longtime “ironclad friend,” Islamabad, and New Delhi, a regional rival with which it has a long-running border dispute.
The flare-up comes as China has been trying to improve relations with India as part of a broader diplomatic push to shore up ties with neighbors and trade partners alike to counter pressure from the Trump administration.
Pakistan, meanwhile, is one of China’s closest partners and a key supporter of its Belt and Road Initiative. China is Pakistan’s main arms supplier, with Chinese arms making up 81 per cent of Pakistan’s weapons imports in the past five years, according to data from Swedish think tank the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
On April 27 in a phone call with his counterpart, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi expressed support for Pakistan and said China is closely following developments between the countries.
In pictures: Scenes from Kashmir and Pakistan
India launched military strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting what it called “terrorist infrastructure” on Wednesday. The attack comes more than two weeks after militants massacred tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on its neighbor — and Islamabad denied.
Pakistan said eight people were killed by India’s attack in what the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described as “an act of war.” Pakistan also said it shot down five Indian Air Force jets and a drone.
Pictures of downed aircraft show part from French manufacturer
Pictures taken of parts of an aircraft that crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir show the label of a French manufacturer.
The label shows an aircraft part from French filtration company Le Bozec et Gautier. Le Bozec is a French-based subsidiary of Minnesota’s Donaldson Company.
A press release from Donaldson in 2005, when it acquired Le Bozec, says the French company “designs, manufactures and sells filtration equipment for the management of air, fuel, hydraulic fluid and air pressure on aircraft and helicopters.”
Pakistan claims to have shot down three of India’s top-of-the-line French-made Rafale fighter jets, but experts said it was not possible to say whether the part came from that aircraft, nor Pakistan’s claims of shooting down the aircraft.
Peter Layton, a senior fellow at Griffith Asia Institute and former Australian air force officer, said the part looked like it could be from a fuel tank, possibly an external drop tank.
The Pakistan Air force also has French-made Mirage III and V jets, Layton added.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir “tense and anxious” after night of shelling
Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir woke to the sounds of explosions and shelling after India launched cross-border strikes against its neighbor, with some hiding in fear and others cheering the strikes as long-overdue revenge.
“I woke up around 2:30 a.m. and heard sounds of explosions and firing across the border. This went on until 5:30 a.m.,” said the resident, who requested not to be named.
India’s strikes – on what it called “terrorist infrastructure” – come more than two weeks after militants killed 26 civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir. New Delhi pinned the massacre on Pakistan, though Islamabad denied those claims.
Pakistan said it shot down five Indian Air Force jets in response. India has not confirmed the fighter jet losses and CNN is unable to verify the claim.
“We spent a sleepless night because of the heavy shelling,” said one resident living in the village of Uroosa, close to the Line of Control that divides Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir.
“There were cries of children, women and it was a desperate situation,” said the resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
A 21-year-old student living in the village of Uroosa told CNN that “shelling was happening all night. Everyone is scared, there is damage in the area too. People are scared and are planning to leave.”
Elsewhere in India-administered Kashmir, residents cheered news of India’s attack, according to video footage by ANI.
Another resident told the outlet that “there was much anger among the people” following last month’s massacre. “Hence, this was indeed needed.”
Unidentified aircraft has crashed inside Indian-administered Kashmir
An unidentified aircraft has crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to an eyewitness and a local government official.
The aircraft came down in the village of Wuyan, which lies 19 kilometers to the southeast of Srinagar, the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A duty officer at the fire service headquarters in Srinagar told CNN that a fighter aircraft had crashed on a school building in Wuyan.
“Our personnel are still at the site and details are awaited,” the officer, who requested anonymity, said.
Photos published by AFP news agency showed aircraft wreckage lying in a field next to a red brick building in Wuyan, which CNN has also geolocated.
It was not immediately clear from the pictures of the wreckage who the aircraft belonged to.
Locals in Srinagar heard a loud explosion earlier on Wednesday around the time when India said it was conducting airstrikes against Pakistan.
What is the significance of the name “Operation Sindoor”?
The name India chose for its military operation against Pakistan appears laden with religious symbolism.
“Operation Sindoor” is a reference to the red vermilion, or powder, many Hindu women wear on their foreheads after marriage.
April’s massacre on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir left several women widowed.
In the days following the attack, an image of a woman lying next to the lifeless body of her husband went viral, becoming a symbol of the pain and heartbreak endured by victims of the assault.
India’s defense and foreign ministers have both posted an image on X of the name of the operation, which depicts the red powder.
“The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism,” India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar wrote on X.
“Victory to India,” Defense Minister Rajnath Singh wrote in Hindi.
India’s foreign minister says “world must show zero tolerance for terrorism” after strikes in Pakistan
Following India’s strikes on what it said was “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said “the world must show zero tolerance for terrorism” in a post on X.
The strikes Wednesday came more than two weeks after a massacre of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on its neighbor.
It’s early morning in India and Pakistan. Here’s where things stand
It’s now morning in India and Pakistan and the region is on edge after New Delhi launched a military attack on its neighbor in the early hours of Wednesday. Pakistan claimed it shot down five Indian Air Force jets in response, in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.
Here’s what we know:
- India’s strikes: Indian officials say its missile strikes targeted nine sites in both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Both India and Pakistan control parts of the contested Kashmir border region. India claims only “terrorist infrastructure” was hit, not civilian, economic or military sites – but Pakistan denies this, saying civilians and mosques were hit across six locations.
- Pakistan’s response: Pakistan says it shot down five Indian Air Force jets and one drone in “self-defense,” claiming Rafale jets — sophisticated multi-role fighters made in France — were among those downed. Indian authorities have not yet confirmed any planes lost, and CNN cannot independently verify the claim.
- Casualties: Pakistan says India’s strikes killed eight people, including children, and wounded 35 more. The Indian Army said three civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed in shelling by Pakistani troops from across the border.
- The trigger: At the heart of this escalation is the disputed Kashmir region — where gunmen stormed a scenic spot last month, killing 36 people — mostly Indian tourists. Delhi has blamed its neighbor, and has long accused Pakistan of harboring militant groups that attack across the border. Islamabad has denied this and previously vowed to retaliate against the attackers.
- Why this matters: Since Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan were born from the bloody Partition of British India, the two nations have fought three wars over Kashmir. Since the last one in 1999, multiple clashes have taken place, most recently in 2019 — but none have spiraled into war again. The risks are high; both countries have beefed up their militaries, including arming themselves with nuclear weapons.
- Global reactions: President Donald Trump called India’s confirmed military operation against Pakistan “a shame,” and the US State Department said the government is “closely monitoring developments.” The international community is warning against further military actions, with the UN chief urging the two countries to “avoid a military confrontation that could easily spin out of control.”
Commercial airlines are avoiding Pakistani airspace, flight tracking website shows
Commercial airlines are keeping almost entirely clear of Pakistani airspace, Flightradar24.com shows, after India launched strikes inside Pakistan in a major escalation between the two neighbors.
Here’s how global players have reacted to India’s military operation against Pakistan
India’s military operation inside Pakistan comes despite major global players urging restraint in the days leading up to the strikes.
Here’s how major global players have responded:
- United States: President Donald Trump called India’s military operation against Pakistan “a shame.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to the national security advisors from India and Pakistan and urged “both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.”
- United Arab Emirates: The UAE has asked for India and Pakistan “to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace.”
- United Nations: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has “expressed deep concern over Indian military operations across the Line of Control and the international border with Pakistan.”
- Japan: Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japanese chief cabinet secretary, said Japan was “deeply concerned this incident could incite retaliation and escalate to a full-scale military conflict” and urged both India and Pakistan “to exercise restrain and stabilize the situation through dialogue.”
Pakistan claims it shot down Indian Rafale jets, which are among the world’s most elite fighter planes
Pakistani security sources claim three of the five Indian planes it downed were Rafale fighter jets — prized assets of the Indian Air Force that were only acquired several years ago as New Delhi looked to beef up its military.
CNN has not independently confirmed Pakistan’s claims and has reached out to the Indian government and military for response.
Before this latest escalation, India had 36 Rafale jets in its Air Force, purchasedfrom French manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
The fighter jets were first ordered in 2016 and began arriving in 2020. At the time, India’s defense minister, Rajnath Singh, claimed the new jets were “among the best in the world,” and would make the Indian Air Force “much stronger to deter any threat that may be posed on our country.”
In late April, India signed a $7.4 billion deal to buy 26 more Rafale jets from France, with delivery expected from 2030.
What to know about these jets: The jets come in one-seat or two-seat versions and can be armed with air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-ship missiles as well as a 30mm cannon, according to the manufacturer. Dassault Aviation also touts the Rafale’s Flight Control System, which includes the ability for it to fly on autopilot in a terrain-following mode in all weather conditions.
The Rafale is not a stealth jet, but it is promoted as having a low profile that is not easy to detect on radar. It also has one distinct advantage — combat experience.
Flown by French forces, the Rafale has been used in operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria, according to Dassault Aviation’s website.
India and Pakistan are on an increasingly perilous collision course toward full-scale conflict, analysts warn
India and Pakistan, two neighbors with a long history of conflict, are in dangerous territory, analysts warn, with Islamabad vowing to retaliate against New Delhi’s strikes and the risk of tit-for-tat responses spiraling into an all out war.
Wednesday’s operation inside Pakistan is the deepest India has struck inside its neighbor since the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, the biggest war between the two countries.
India’s decision to strike comes more than two weeks after 26 people, mostly Indian civilians, were massacred in an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the assault, a claim Pakistan denies.
Pakistan said eight people were killed during India’s Wednesday strikes, including children, in what the country’s prime minister described as “an act of war.” Islamabad also claimed it shot down five Indian Air Force planes and a drone during the attack.
New Delhi has not publicly confirmed Pakistan’s claim and CNN cannot independently it.
While India’s decision to strike Pakistan isn’t unsurprising – analysts had been saying it was a matter of when, and not if – analysts fear we could see further escalations between the two nuclear-armed nations in the coming hours and days.
India’s strikes come after days of mounting pressure on its Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi
India’s strikes against Pakistan come more than two weeks of mounting pressure on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to forcefully retaliate against its neighbor after a tourist massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Last month militants stormed the mountainous and picturesque district of Pahalgam and killed 25 Indian tourists in the worst assault on Indian civilians in recent years. The massacre immediately cratered already hostile relations between New Delhi and Islamabad, with New Delhi swift to blame its neighbor.
Modi – a strongman Hindu-nationalist leader who has positioned himself as the protector of the nation and last year won a rare third term in power – immediately vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth.”
He governs a proud, nationalistic nation that believes in its ability to handle difficult situations.
Following the massacre, India’s loud and often jingoistic media immediately called for blood.
“We want revenge” read a headline on one channel. “Bharat is battle ready,” read another, referring to India by its Sanskrit title.
Analysts say it was only a matter of time before Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded with force.
“Modi and his government believe it is imperative to respond to Pahalgam,” said Derek J. Grossman, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation, a US-based think tank.
“Indians are very likely to support New Delhi’s response – regardless of what it is, perhaps except for a nuclear response – because they believe Pakistan must be deterred in the future.”
Hospitals on alert and schools closed in Pakistan’s Punjab province
The chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province has asked hospitals in the region to remain on alert and ordered schools to remain closed on Wednesday.
According to Pakistan’s military, six of the eight people killed in the strikes died in attacks on Ahmadpur East and Muridke in the Punjab province. CNN cannot independently verify the claim.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab’s chief minister, announced she had issued emergency response orders for Punjab, in a post on X Tuesday.
The chief minister called on rescue teams, district administration and hospitals to remain on alert. She also said educational institutions in the province will remain closed on Wednesday.
Sharif said Pakistan wanted peace but would become “a legion” if war was imposed.
“India started it, we’ll finish it,” she wrote on X, adding that the whole nation stands with the Pakistani military.
3 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed by Pakistani cross-border shelling, Indian Army says
Three civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed in shelling by Pakistani troops from across the border, according to the Indian Army.
The Pakistan Army “resorted to arbitrary firing and artillery shelling” from posts across the Line of Control that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir, the Indian Army said in a statement.
“Indian Army are responding in proportionate manner,” the statement said.
School and colleges will be closed across the territory of Jammu in India
Schools, colleges and educational institutions will be closed today across Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch “in view of the prevailing situation,” according to Divisional Commissioner Jammu.
These are areas in the Indian territory.
Pakistan security sources say 5 Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales, shot down
Five Indian Air Force jets and one drone were shot down by Pakistan during India’s attack, according to Pakistani security sources.
In a statement released to reporters, the security sources said three French-made Rafale jets, one MiG-29 and one SU-30 fighter jets were downed “in self-defense.” An Indian Heron drone was also shot down, they added.
A second senior Pakistani government official confirmed the same list of downed aircraft.
The briefing did not say precisely where the jets were downed or how.
Pakistani officials had earlier briefed that they shot down three aircraft and a drone.
CNN cannot independently verify the claims and has reached out to the Indian government for a response.
UAE asks India and Pakistan to “avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace”
The United Arab Emirates is asking for India and Pakistan “to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace,” according to a statement from UAE Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
8 people killed, dozens injured in 6 locations in Pakistan, military spokesperson says
Eight people were killed, including children, and 35 injured, Pakistan’s military spokesperson said after India launched military strikes on targets in Pakistan early Wednesday.
India targeted six locations with 24 strikes in both Pakistan and Pakistan administered-Kashmir, spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a news conference early Wednesday.
Previously, Pakistan said five locations were struck. India has said nine sites in total were targeted.
Five people were killed, including a 3-year-old girl, in Ahmadpur East, in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, Chaudhry said. One man was also killed in Punjab’s Muridke,a city near Lahore, the capital of the province.
In Pakistan administered-Kashmir, a 16-year-old girl and 18-year-old man were killed in the city of Kotli, he added.
Mosques were targeted in the strikes, according to the military spokesperson.
CNN cannot independently verify the claim.
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified the capital of Pakistan, which is Islamabad.
India says no “Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets” hit during military operation
India defended its military operation in Pakistan on Wednesday, claiming that its actions were “focused and precise.”
According to Pakistani sources, at least eight people were killed in Wednesday’s operations, “including women and children.” Pakistani sources also said three Indian Air Force planes and a drone were shot down in locations “within Indian territory.” CNN cannot independently confirm the claims and has reached out to the Indian Ministry of Defence.
The embassy statement said it was clear that “Pakistani-based terrorists” were responsible for last month’s attack in Kashmir. But that instead of taking action, Pakistan “indulged in denial and made allegations of false flag operations against India.”
India and Pakistan have a tense history. Here are the wars they have fought before
Kashmir has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since both gained their independence from Britain in 1947. The two nations to emerge from the bloody partition of British India — Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India — both claim Kashmir in full, and months after becoming independent, fought their first of three wars over the territory.
Here’s a quick recap:
1947: India and Pakistan gain independence from Great Britain. The ruler of Kashmir initially decides to remain independent, choosing not to become a part of either Pakistan or India. After militants from Pakistan invade, he signs a letter acceding to India. Pakistan does not recognize the letter as a legal document, sparking war. In 1949, the two countries agree to withdraw all troops behind a mutually agreed ceasefire line, later known as the Line of Control.
1965:India and Pakistan go to war again over Kashmir. The clash did not resolve the dispute over the territory.
1971: This was the biggest war fought between the two countries, which led to a humiliating loss for Pakistan and the creation of the state of Bangladesh from the region formerly known as East Pakistan.
1999: India and Pakistan fight a limited border conflict in Kashmir, after armed invaders from Pakistan cross the Line of Control in the town of Kargil.
UN Secretary-General urges India and Pakistan to “avoid a military confrontation”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the April attack in Kashmir, and urged India and Pakistan to “avoid a military confrontation that could easily spin out of control.”
“Make no mistake: A military solution is no solution,” Guterres wrote in a post on X, noting that tensions between the two neighbors are “at their highest in years.”
Here’s the latest on what we know about India’s strikes deep inside Pakistan today
At least three Indian Air Force planes have been shot down, Pakistani security and government sources have told CNN, in the latest in the latest escalation between the two countries.
It comes shortly after India said it launched a military operation in Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure.” India has not confirmed the loss of any jets, CNN has reached out to the India authorities for comment.
At least eight people were killed in India’s strikes, Pakistan said.
Meantime, a blast was also heard in the city of Srinagar, the largest city in Indian-administrated Kashmir, according to eyewitnesses.
Here’s what we know so far:
- Pakistan’s response: A senior Pakistani intelligence source said three Indian jets were shot down in locations “within Indian territory,” as well as a drone. CNN cannot independently verify the claim. Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif saidthe country “has every right” to respond.
- Targets: India said nine sites in total were targeted. Pakistan said five locations were struck, three of them in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Those in Punjab are Ahmadpur East and Muridke.
- Historical context: India’s strikes are the deepest New Delhi has ventured into Pakistan’s undisputed borders since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971.
- Global reaction: Senior India officials have spoken to their counterparts in a number of countries to brief them on the steps taken by New Delhi, according to a senior Indian government official.
- Airspaces closed: Pakistan issued a notice closing airspace around Lahore, in the country’s north, and the coastal city of Karachi. Major Indian airline IndiGo reported impacted flights in and out of Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala and Bikaner. SpiceJet, another airline, also said some airports in northern India are closed “until further notice.”
- Why Kashmir is important: Kashmir is one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints and is controlled in part by India and Pakistan but both countries claim it in its entirety. The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars over the mountainous territory.
CNN’s Elise Hammond, Aditi Sangal, Sophia Saifi, Rhea Mogul, Max Saltman, Avery Schmitz and Thomas Bordeaux and reporter Vedika Sud contributed reporting to this post.
Pakistan claims a third Indian aircraft and drone were shot down
A third Indian aircraft has been shot down by Pakistan, Pakistani security and government sources have told CNN.
A senior Pakistani intelligence source said three Indian jets were shot down in locations “within Indian territory,” as well as a drone.
A separate senior Pakistan government source confirmed that three aircraft and a drone were shot down.
CNN cannot independently verify the claims and is reaching out to the Indian government and military for a response.
This is the deepest India has struck inside Pakistan’s undisputed borders since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971
India’s strikes against Pakistan are the deepest New Delhi has ventured into Pakistan’s undisputed borders since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971.
Pakistan on Wednesday said five locations were struck by India, three of them in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The locations in Punjab are Ahmadpur East and Muridke.
The 1971 Indo-Pakistani War was a major military conflict between India and Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh.
The last time India struck inside Pakistan’s undisputed borders was in 2019, when Indian jets conducted airstrikes on several targets after it blamed Islamabad for a suicide car bomb attack that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in the region.
Blast heard inside Indian-administered Kashmir
A blast was heard in the city of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir early Wednesday, eyewitnesses told CNN.
The cause of the blast is not yet known. Srinagar is the largest city in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Reports of the blast come after India launched a military operation against Pakistan, in a major escalation between the two neighbors following a massacre on tourists inside Indian-administered Kashmir.
India and Pakistan each control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full and have fought three wars over the territory. Kashmir is one of the most militarized places in the world.
Wednesday’s strikes by India are the most significant military actions since 2019, when Indian jets conducted airstrikes on several targets inside Pakistan.
“Victory to India!” India’s defense minister responds to military operation
India’s Minister of Defense has publicly responded to the military operation launched against Pakistan.
“Victory to India!” Rajnath Singh wrote on X in Hindi, in a short statement.
Senior officials in India have briefed counterparts in other countries, senior government source says
Senior India officials have spoken to their counterparts in a number of countries to brief them on the steps taken by New Delhi, a senior Indian government official told CNN.
Among the countries briefed were the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Russia.
Pakistan tells CNN it has shot down 2 Indian Air Force aircraft
Pakistan’s military claims it has shot down two Indian Air Force aircraft.
CNN cannot independently confirm Chaudhry’s claims that Indian planes were shot down. We are reaching out to the Indian Ministry of Defence for comment.
The locations of the engagement are “around Bhatinda” and Akhnoor, Chaudhry added, noting that there is an engagement “already ongoing between the two air forces.”
Bhatinda is a small town in the Indian state of Punjab that borders Pakistan and Akhnoor is located in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Flights reroute as Pakistan closes airspace around Lahore and Karachi
Pakistan issued a notice Tuesday night closing airspace around Lahore, in the country’s north, and the coastal city of Karachi amid airstrikes from India. The notice went into effect at 4:30 p.m. ET and is scheduled to expire on at 2:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
The notice to airmen, also known as a NOTAM, appears to have diverted numerous flights with routes planned through or near Pakistani airspace, according to flight data reviewed by CNN from FlightRadar24.
As tensions between India and Pakistan increased in recent weeks after an April mass shooting in the disputed Kashmir territory, numerous airlines have avoided flying over Pakistan, including Air France and Lufthansa.
India launched a military operation against Pakistan today. Here’s what we know so far
India said early Wednesday it had launched a military operation against Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan administered-Kashmir.
Relations between India and Pakistan have cratered in recent weeks following a deadly rampage by gunmen who murdered 26 people, the majority Indian tourists, at a scenic spot in Kashmir. Read more about the attack.
Here’s what you need to know:
Targets: India said nine sites in total were targeted. Pakistan said five locations were struck, three of them in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Casualties: At least three people were killed, Pakistan said.
What India has said since: “Justice is Served,” the Indian Army wrote on X in a short statement, its first since the operation’s launch. “Jai Hind!” (Victory to India)
Pakistan’s response: Pakistan’s military claims it has shot down two Indian Air Force aircraft. CNN cannot independently verify the claim. Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif saidthe country “has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India and a befitting reply is being given.” A military spokesperson said the country “will respond to it at a time and place of its own choosing.”
Flashpoint: Kashmir is one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints and is controlled in part by India and Pakistan but both countries claim it in its entirety. The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars over the mountainous territory that is now divided by a de-facto border called the Line of Control (LOC) since their independence from Britain nearly 80 years ago.
Pakistan responds to India’s strikes, saying it was an “unprovoked and blatant act of war”
Pakistan has called India’s strikes an “unprovoked and blatant act of war” in a statement early Wednesday.
“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.”
India early Wednesday said it launched a military operation against Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in a major escalation between the two neighbors.
The attacks come more than two weeks after a massacre on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on its neighbor — a claim Islamabad denies.
Pakistan has a right to reply to “act of war” by India, prime minister says
Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif saidthe country “has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India and a befitting reply is being given.”
The prime minister called a meeting with the National Security Committee following the military operation, according to the Federal Minister of Information.
This is the first Indian attack on Pakistan since 2019 with multiple locations struck, including inside Pakistan’s undisputed borders
Pakistani military sources told CNN that India’s strikes hit five locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The locations are Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Muridke.
Of these, Ahmadpur East and Muridke are particularly significant as they are in Pakistan’s Punjab province – inside the country’s undisputed borders.
Wednesday’s attacks are the first time since 2019 that India has conducted strikes inside Pakistan’s territory, when Indian jets targeted multiple locations after it blamed Islamabad for a suicide car bomb attack that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in the region.
That retaliation itself was particularly fraught because it was the first time India had struck inside Pakistan’s undisputed borders since the two sides fought a war in 1971.
India has now taken that significant step again.
Kotli, Muzaffarabad and Bagh are in Pakistan-administered Kashmir – a mountainous, contested region controlled by Islamabad but also claimed by India. It is an area that has seen frequent periods of military contact and skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops.
US President Trump says India strikes on Pakistan are “a shame”
United States President Donald Trump called India’s confirmed military operation against Pakistan “a shame” and that he just learned of the news ahead of his Oval Office event Tuesday evening.
“I just hope it ends very quickly,” Trump said.
India said early Wednesday it had launched a military operation against Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and Pakistan administered-Kashmir, in a major escalation between the two countries.
The US State Department also said it is “closely monitoring developments,” according to a spokesperson Tuesday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with top officials from both countries last week as tensions rapidly escalated after a massacre in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Rubio encouraged India and Pakistan to work with each other to “de-escalate tensions,” according to State Department readouts of the two calls on April 30.
Pakistani defense minister responds to India’s military operation
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that “civilians were killed, including women and children” in India’s military operation.
“Justice is served”: Indian army responds to military operation
The Indian Army on Wednesday released its first public comments since India launched a military operation inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“Justice is Served,” the Indian Army wrote on X in a short statement. “Jai Hind!” (Victory to India)
What you need to know about Kashmir
Kashmir has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since both gained their independence from Britain in 1947.
The two nations to emerge from the bloody partition of British India both claim Kashmir in full, and months after becoming independent, fought their first of three wars over the territory.
The divided region is now one of the most militarized places in the world.
But attacks on tourists in the picturesque Himalayan region are rare.
Tensions between India Pakistan over Kashmir have surged in recent years, after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government revoked its constitutional autonomy in 2019, bringing it under the direct control of New Delhi.
Here’s what happened last month in Kashmir that triggered today’s operation
India said early Wednesday it had launched a military operation against Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and Pakistan administered-Kashmir, in a major escalation of tensions between the two neighbors and in response to an attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir on April 22.
Here’s what you need to know about the attack:
What happened: Gunmen opened fire on tourists in a popular travel destination in the mountainous destination of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. At least 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed in the massacre, which unfolded in a valley only accessible by foot or on horseback. Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the gunmen approached, opening fire on people from close range. Some recalled how the men among the group were singled out and shot at. Other survivors told local media the gunmen accused some of the victims of supporting Prime Minister Modi.
Who claimed responsibility: Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack on social media but it has reportedly since walked back that claim, according to multiple local media reports. Pakistan has denied involvement. India has not publicly blamed any group for the attack but has justified its retaliatory moves as a response to Pakistan’s alleged “support for cross-border terrorism.”
Some background: India has long accused Pakistan of harboring Islamist militant groups that target Kashmir, something Islamabad denies. Attacks by militants have in the past led to a sharp escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, both of whom have rival claims to the Himalayan region. India conducted air strikes inside Pakistan in 2019 following an insurgent attack on Indian soldiers.
At least 3 killed by Indian strikes in Pakistan, military spokesperson says
Three people, including a child, have been killed by Indian strikes in Pakistan, the country’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told Pakistani outlet Geo TV.
Chaudhry also told Geo TV that mosques were targeted.
“The attacks on mosques indicate [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and RSS’s Hindutva mentality,” Chaudhry said referring to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing paramilitary organization that advocates Hindu supremacy within India.
Tension has ratched up between India and Pakistan after last month’s massacre in Indian-controlled Kashmir
Kashmir, one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, is controlled in part by India and Pakistan but both countries claim it in its entirety.
The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars over the mountainous territory that is now divided by a de-facto border called the Line of Control (LOC) since their independence from Britain nearly 80 years ago.
Tensions ratcheted up again after gunmen massacred 26 civilians in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir on last month, the deadliest assault on Indians in recent years.
India has accused Pakistan of being involved in the Pahalgam attack — a claim Islamabad denies. Pakistan has offered a neutral investigation into the incident.
The massacre sparked immediate widespread anger in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been under tremendous pressure to retaliate with force.
In the days after the Pahalgam attack, both countries swiftly downgraded ties with each other and have been since been engaging in escalating tit-for-tat hostilities.
India ordered its citizens to return from Pakistan, shut a major border crossing and suspended its involvement in a crucial water sharing treaty that has been in force since 1960.
Pakistan suspended trade with India and expelled Indian diplomats. It said that that any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan would be considered an “act of war.”
Both countries have also shut their airspace to each other.
New Delhi and Islamabad had also been flexing their military might as tensions simmered along the LOC with small exchanges of fire across the demarcation in recent days. Both sides have also closed their air spaces to each other’s airlines.
“This heinous provocation will not go unanswered.” Pakistan military confirms India struck with missiles
Pakistan’s military said India struck early Wednesday with missiles.
Pakistani military sources told CNN five locations were struck at Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Muridke.
Three of those locations – Kotli, Muzaffarabad and Bagh – are in Pakistan-administred Kashmir. Ahmadpur East and Muridke are both in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
India says it launched military operation against Pakistan
India said early Wednesday (local time) it had launched a military operation against Pakistan, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and Pakistan administered-Kashmir, in a major escalation of tensions between the two neighbors.
India said nine sites in total were targeted.
Multiple loud explosions have been heard in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to a CNN journalist.
Pakistan’s military said India had struck with missiles.
Major airlines are avoiding Pakistan’s airspace
Prior to Wednesday’s military operation, multiple major airlines were avoiding flying over Pakistan as relations with neighboring India crater.
Air France told CNN it has suspended flying over the South Asian country until further notice because of the “recent evolution of tensions between India and Pakistan.”
The airline is “adapting its flight schedule and flight plans to and from certain destinations,” the French flag carrier said, adding some routes will require longer flight times.
Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa also confirmed to Reuters that it was “avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice.”
Both sides had already closed their airspaces to each other’s aircraft since the attack, but the increased tensions are now impacting other international airlines and will likely cost them as they burn extra fuel taking longer routes.
Flight-tracking data showed some flights of British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines and Emirates traveling over the Arabian Sea and then turning north toward Delhi in order to avoid Pakistani airspace, Reuters reported.
Here’s how India and Pakistan’s military stack up
By the numbers, India’s military would be seen as superior to Pakistan’s in any conventional conflict.
The Indian defense budget is more than nine times Pakistan’s, according to this year’s edition of “The Military Balance,” an assessment of armed forces by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
That budget supports an active-duty Indian force of almost 1.5 million personnel, compared to 660,000 for Pakistan.
On the ground, India’s 1.2 million-strong army has 3,750 main battle tanks and more than 10,000 artillery pieces, while Pakistan’s tank force is only two-thirds of India’s and Islamabad has fewer than half of the artillery pieces in New Delhi’s arsenal.
At sea, the Indian navy’s advantage is overwhelming. It has two aircraft carriers, 12 guided-missile destroyers, 11 guided-missile frigates and 16 attack submarines.
Pakistan has no carriers and no guided-missile destroyers, with 11 smaller guided-missile frigates being the backbone of its naval fleet. It also has only half the number of subs that India fields.
Both air forces rely heavily on older Soviet-era aircraft, including MiG-21s in India and the Chinese equivalent – the J-7 – in Pakistan.
India has been investing in multirole French-made Rafale jets, with 36 now in service, according to “The Military Balance.”
Pakistan has added Chinese J-10 multirole jets, with more than 20 now in its fleet.
Though Pakistan still has dozens of US-made F-16 fighters, the backbone of its fleet has become the JF-17, a joint project with China that came online in the early 2000s. About 150 are in service.
Russian-made aircraft play a significant role in India’s air fleet, with more than 100 MiG-29 fighters in service with the air force and navy combined, plus over 260 Su-30 ground attack jets.
The rivals are closer in capabilities when it comes to nuclear forces, with around five dozen surface-to-surface launchers each, though Indian has longer-range ballistic missiles than Pakistan.
India’s military personnel more than doubles Pakistan’s.
Asian countries with the most active military personnel, 2024
