Pakistan's amb. to U.S. weighs in on conflict with India
06:18
What we covered here
• Trading blame: India said Pakistan attacked it overnight using drones and “other munitions” along their border. Pakistan, meanwhile, has destroyed Indian Army checkpoints along their disputed border in Kashmir, a Pakistan security source said. The rivals have repeatedly accused each other of launching attacks since their conflict escalated Wednesday.
• Tourist massacre: The conflict’s escalation comes over two weeks after militants killed more than two dozen civilians, mostly tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of being involved, which it has denied.
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Our live coverage of the India-Pakistan conflict has moved here.
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Ambani’s Reliance Industries rolls back trademark application for "Operation Sindoor"
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung
Reliance Industries, the powerful conglomerate owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, said on Friday it was rolling back an application to trademark “Operation Sindoor” that had been mistakenly filed by a junior employee.
“Operation Sindoor” is the name of India’s latest military action against Islamabad, which it launched early Wednesday morning with missile strikes on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“Reliance Industries has no intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor, a phrase which is now a part of the national consciousness as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery,” the company said on X.
“Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorization,” it said.
Reliance had first filed the trademark application on Wednesday, according to a public trademark record on a government website. The application said the trademark would be used for the “provision of entertainment,” such as use in audio, video, publishing, concerts and more.
Screenshots of the application on the website quickly circulated online, with social media users criticizing the company’s move, Reuters reported.
Several Bollywood films have been produced on India’s previous military operations, including “Uri,” depicting India’s covert operation against alleged Islamic militants after a deadly attack on an Indian base in Kashmir.
More background: The name “Sindoor” appears to be a reference to the red vermilion, or powder, many Hindu women wear on their foreheads after marriage. The April tourist massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir by militants, which triggered the latest escalations, left several Indian women widowed. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, which Islamabad has denied.
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Pakistan Army says it destroyed several Indian Army checkpoints after "unprovoked firing"
From CNN staff
Pakistan’s army destroyed several Indian Army “checkposts” along their disputed border in Kashmir in response to “unprovoked firing” from the Indian side, a Pakistan security source told CNN on Friday.
Pakistani troops destroyed checkpoints in six locations along the Line of Control that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir, the source said.
India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full but each control only part of the region.
The source did not give any details on the checkpoints or when the firing from both sides took place.
Dangerous border: The Line of Control is one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders and exchanges of fire are not uncommon.
But the level of conflict has increased dramatically in the wake of a militant attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir last month, which India blamed on Pakistan and Islamabad denied, and this week’s airstrikes on Pakistan.
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Airlines warn passengers of heightened security measures at airports across India
From CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer, Dhruv Tikekar and Helen Regan
Commercial airlines in India have issued statements warning passengers to be aware of heightened security measures at airports amid escalating conflict between India and Pakistan.
Air India said the country’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security had instructed all airlines and airports to enhance security measures.
“Passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding,” Air India said on X.
“In these extraordinary times, heightened security measures are taken up across all airports. We request you to allow some extra time for your journey to accommodate security checks and formalities,” IndiGo said on X.
Akasa Air encouraged passengers to carry valid government ID and said “all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks prior to boarding.”
Indira Gandhi International Airport in the Indian capital Delhi said operations “remain normal” but some flight schedules “may be impacted due to evolving airspace conditions and heightened security measures.” Mumbai airport also warned of longer wait times.
More than 20 airports across northern and northwestern India will remain closed until Saturday, a senior police official said Wednesday.
Multiple Indian and international carriers have also canceled flights to and from destinations in northern India, and other airlines said they were rerouting or canceling flights to and from Europe due to the escalation between India and Pakistan.
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Families on both sides of Kashmir’s disputed border fear for their lives as explosions rock valleys
From CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer, Immad ud Din and Rhea Mogul
In the decades-old conflict between India and Pakistan, no area is considered more hostile than the dangerous border that divides the two countries in contested Kashmir.
And since India conducted widespread airstrikes on its neighbor earlier this week, hostilities along the de-facto border, known as the Line of Control (LoC), have exploded, leaving families on both sides fearing for their lives.
Fifty-year-old Safeer Ahmad Awan from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which was one of the targets of India’s strikes, described to CNN the moment his 15-year-old daughter was wounded by shelling.
There have been widespread reports of people fleeing their homes as gunfire and shelling continues, while others seek safety in bunkers under their homes.
About 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) east of the LoC in Indian-administered Kashmir, Nadeem Akbar, who lives in the town of Uri, told CNN he left his home with some of his family minutes before a fresh round of shelling began Thursday night.
Video from Uri shows buildings reduced to scraps and belongings destroyed.
Deepika Pushkar Nath, a lawyer from the town Jammu, said she was in her garden when she saw a fresh exchange of fire.
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India and Pakistan trade blame as conflict escalates. Here's what to know
From CNN staff
India accused Pakistan of launching attacks overnight using drones and “other munitions” along their shared and disputed border, which Pakistan has denied, as confrontations between the South Asian neighbors threaten to spill into a wider conflict.
India and Pakistan have repeatedly accused each other of launching aerial attacks since their conflict escalated on Wednesday.
Here’s what to know:
How we got here: India launched a military attack against Pakistan on Wednesday, striking what it called “terrorist infrastructure” in response to a civilian massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir last month by militants. India accused Pakistan of being involved, which it has denied. Pakistan vowed to retaliate against India’s attacks.
At least one jet shot down: The US has assessed that Pakistani forces shot down an Indian jet during India’s air strikes on Pakistani territory on Wednesday, according to a senior US official. Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian Air Force jets in retaliation for Indian strikes, including three French-made warplanes. Indian officials have yet to respond.
The latest escalation: India said it repelled Pakistani attacks along the “entire Western border” last night. It also accused Pakistan of “numerous cease fire violations” along the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir. The army warned that it would respond with force. An Indian defense source said it intercepted a number of missiles fired from Pakistan toward Indian-administered Kashmir and India’s Punjab province on Thursday. Pakistan denied the claims.
Killed soldiers, downed drones: Pakistan’s military said it had killed 40 to 50 Indian troops along the de facto border in Kashmir, and downed 29 Indian drones on Thursday across the country, from Rawalpindi in the north – home to the military’s main headquarters – to a site near the port megacity of Karachi in the south.
Digital standoff: India has asked all streaming platforms operating in the country to remove content originating from Pakistan. India has already blocked the social media handles of some Pakistani celebrities, and Pakistan responded in kind.
Explosions and panic: Explosions were heard in Jammu city, in Indian-administered Kashmir on Thursday, an Indian Army spokesperson told CNN. Journalists and residents told CNN about “panic” and “palpable tension” in the city. Heavy shelling was reported in Uri, in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to a police officer. And police in Pathankot, a city in India’s Punjab state, also received reports of explosions, according to a police source.
In the line of fire: Dozens of residents living along Kashmir’s de facto border are sheltering from the escalating fighting between India and Pakistan in safe houses. Residents in India’s Amritsar, about 15 miles from the Pakistani border, have been asked to stay indoors until further notice. At least 16 people on the Indian side have been killed in cross-border Pakistani shelling, India’s defense ministry said.
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India asks streaming platforms to “remove all content originating from Pakistan”
From CNN’s Rhea Mogul
India has asked all streaming platforms operating in the country to remove content originating from Pakistan, adding to a growing digital stand-off between the nations as their conflict escalates.
The move adds to the tensions flaring in the wake of the tourist massacre in India-administered Kashmir in April. India has already blocked the social media handles of some Pakistani celebrities, and Pakistan responded in kind.
The order applies to both subscription-based and free platforms. Netflix, Disney, Spotify and Apple Music are among those available in India.
Content that “threatens the unity, integrity, defense, security or sovereignty of India” was the target of the directive, the information ministry said.
Platforms that fail to comply risk being punished under India’s Information and Technology rules. CNN has reached out to the major international streaming providers operating in India for comment.
Some context: India and Pakistan were once a single nation before its former British colonial leaders hastily divided them along religious lines in 1947, setting the stage for a fierce geopolitical rivalry that has led to four wars.
The ministry’s latest advisory is a marked escalation from prior cultural boycotts at times of hostility between the nations.
In 2016, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association imposed a de facto ban on Pakistani talent performing in India, after dozens of Indian soldiers were killed in a militant attack in the disputed Kashmir region.
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Indian Army says Pakistan's overnight attacks involved drones and other munitions
From CNN's Todd Symons
India’s army says it repelled multiple attacks from Pakistani drones and other munitions along their shared border overnight.
It also accused Pakistan of “numerous cease fire violations” along the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir, saying that the alleged “violations” were met with a “befitting reply.”
The army warned that would respond with force to “all nefarious designs.”
On Thursday night, explosions were heard in Jammu city, in Indian-administered Kashmir, an Indian Army spokesperson told CNN.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied Islamabad had launched attacks on Indian-administered Kashmir on Thursday, and accused Indian media of “spreading disinformation.”
India and Pakistan have repeatedly accused each other of launching aerial attacks since their conflict escalated on Wednesday.
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Pakistan's ambassador to US says his country is acting in self-defense
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
Pakistani Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said Thursdayhis country has been acting in “self-defense” as he accused India of escalating the conflict between the two nations — and again denied any government role in the April massacre in Kashmir where 26 people were killed.
Pakistan has the “right to respond” to India’s strikes, he said, dismissing the Indian ambassador to the US’ earlier comments to CNN that their strikes were intended to be non-escalatory.
Sheikh also placed the responsibility for de-escalation on India.
The ambassador also said he believed that there have been contacts between India and Pakistan at the national security adviser level, “but then this escalation, both in terms of the actions that have been taken and in terms of the rhetoric that is coming out, has to stop.”
Asked about a call where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and called for Pakistan to “take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups,” the ambassador questioned, “What terrorist groups?”
“All those structures that were there have been dismantled with a degree of finality,” he said.
Some background: The two militant groups that India said it targeted in its Wednesday strikes on Pakistan are declared as terror groups by many countries and have been accused of launching several deadly attacks on neighboring India. They are Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two extremist groups based in Pakistan.
CNN’s Aditi Sangal contributed to the report.
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US top diplomat spoke with Pakistan's prime minister
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
Pakistan released its readout of the call between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Sharif condemned India’s strikes, saying the Pakistani public was outraged by the attack, and argued they “violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while gravely jeopardizing peace and stability in the South Asia region,” the statement from the Pakistani prime minister’s office said.
Sharif also conveyed Pakistan’s “resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs” and that Pakistan “reserved the right to act in self-defense,” the statement added.
Rubio said the US is closely following the situation and is “committed to promoting peace and stability in the region. To this end, he emphasized upon the need for both Pakistan and India to work closely to de-escalate the situation,” the statement added.
More background: CNN had earlier reported the US readout of the call between the two men. Rubio also spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The top US diplomat emphasized the need for de-escalation in the growing crisis between the two countries in both the calls.
The US readout of the call between Rubio and Sharif also noted that the top US diplomat conveyed to Sharif that Pakistan should “take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.”
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Delhi government stops Indian civil servants from taking leave until further notice
From CNN's Kunal Sehgal and Hira Humayun
The government of India’s capital territory Delhi – home to the capital city of New Delhi – has stopped civil servants from taking leave until “further orders.”
A government notice shared by Indian state radio and dated May 8 reads:
The order comes amid growing fears that India and Pakistan are at the brink of a wider conflict.
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US vice president says India-Pakistan conflict is “none of our business”
From CNN’s Kit Maher
Vice President JD Vance said in an interview today that the conflict between India and Pakistan is “fundamentally none of our business,” though he and President Donald Trump are encouraging the countries to deescalate.
Explosions rock Indian territory as Pakistan says it has killed soldiers and downed drones. Catch up here
From CNN staff
Tensions continue to ratchet up between India and Pakistan, with Indian officials saying Pakistan fired missiles and drones at military sites in India and Indian-administered Kashmir. Islamabad has denied that claim, accusing New Delhi of “spreading disinformation.”
Blackouts are in place in multiple locations in Punjab, Kashmir and Rajasthan, according to local Indian police officials, as local residents express fear and anxiety.
Here’s what else has happened in the last few hours:
Blasts and blackouts: Explosions were heard in Jammu city, in Indian-administered Kashmir, an Indian Army spokesperson told CNN, adding there was a blackout in the region. Journalists and residents told CNN about “panic” and “palpable tension” in the city. Police in Pathankot, a city in India’s Punjab state, also received reports of explosions, according to a police source there. Officials said air defenses were at work in both places.
Pakistan says it killed soldiers: Pakistan’s military killed 40 to 50 Indian troops along the de facto border with Indian-administered Kashmir, according to the country’s information ministry. CNN cannot verify the figures and has sought comment from the Indian defense ministry.
Downed drones: Pakistan’s military spokesperson said the armed forces downed 29 Indian drones. The death toll from the drone attacks rose to three with four others injured, spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry added in an address to the nation.
Ambassador places blame on Pakistan: Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra told CNN that India’s strikes on Pakistan on Wednesday were intended to have a “certain finality,” arguing that Pakistan has escalated the situation. Kwatra argued that the strikes were proportional to the tourist massacre in India-administered Kashmir last month and were meant to be non-escalatory. He maintained that they were only targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure.
At least one jet shot down: The US has assessed that Pakistani forces shot down an Indian jet during India’s air strikes on Pakistani territory, according to a senior US official. Pakistan claimed yesterday to have shot down five Indian Air Force jets in retaliation for Indian strikes, including three sophisticated French-made warplanes. Indian officials have yet to respond to the claim.
CNN’s Esha Mitra, Sophia Saifi, Hira Humayun, Jim Sciutto, Jennifer Hansler, Mukhtar Ahmad and Caitlin Danaher contributed reporting.
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US could support independent investigation into Kashmir massacre, State Department spokesperson suggests
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce suggested that the US could support an independent investigation into the tourist massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir, saying today that “we want the perpetrators to be held accountable and are supportive of any efforts to that end.”
Bruce would not say if Secretary of State Marco Rubio has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to try to de-escalate the crisis but called the top US diplomat “the center point leading these conversations and this outreach” to the two sides.
Rubio spoke with the Indian external affairs minister and the Pakistani prime minister today in separate calls, urging de-escalation.
Bruce added: “In every situation, in this particular case, of course, a very delicate and dangerous situation, but in any case where there’s diplomatic conversations between leaders of countries, or really any level where there’s negotiations happening, we are not going to be speaking about the details.”
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Heavy shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir town just miles from de facto border, police source says
From Mukhtar Ahmad
Heavy shelling is ongoing in Uri, in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to a local police officer.
The town of Uri is just about 2 miles from the Line of Control — the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region — in certain places and about 63 miles from Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir.
There are no reports of injuries so far, according to the officer.
Remember: Both the Indian and Pakistani militaries have been exchanging gunfire across the Line of Control nearly every day since the tourist massacre last month — which is at the heart of this current escalation — when gunmen stormed a scenic spot in Indian-administered Kashmir and killed 26 civilians.
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India accuses Pakistan of targeting its military sites, which Islamabad denies
From CNN's Esha Mitra, Sophia Saifi and Hira Humayun
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar speaks with journalists during a government-organized visit to Bella Noor Shah, a mountainous village near Muzaffarabad, Pakistan administered Kashmir, on May 5.
Muhammad Yousuf/AP
Indian officials say Pakistan fired missiles and drones at military sites in India and Indian-administered Kashmir — which Islamabad has denied.
Eight missiles were fired from Pakistan toward Indian-administered Kashmir, an Indian defense source told CNN, adding that they were all “intercepted and blocked by Air Defense Units.” The source said the attacks were directed at the towns of Satwari, Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura and Arnia.
India’sdefense ministry said military sites targeted also include Pathankot in the state of Punjab, and that the threat was neutralized and there were no losses. According to the government body, the military sites are “in proximity to the international boundary.” Indian Army spokesperson in Jammu, Sunil Bartwal, said attacks were also reported in the state of Rajasthan, but were engaged by the Indian military.
Blackouts are in place in multiple locations in Punjab, Kashmir and Rajasthan, according to local police officials.
Pakistan’s response: Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar hit back at the allegations, posting to X: “Pakistan has not targeted any locations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, or across international border, so far.” He added that Pakistan’s air force has not incurred any losses and accused Indian media of “spreading disinformation.”
Tensions have been high between both countries. Pakistan vowed to retaliate after Indian strikes hit Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday local time, killing dozens.
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Schools across Indian state of Punjab will remain closed for the next 3 days, minister says
From CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer
Schools across the Indian state of Punjab will remain closed over the next three days, the state education minister said.
His announcement comes as Indian officials say intercepted Pakistani attacks targeted multiple locations, including Punjab — which Pakistan has denied.
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Indian military’s air defenses are at work over Punjab, police official says
From CNN’s Esha Mitra and Hira Humayun
India’s military is firing air defense missiles over the state of Punjab, a police official in the state told CNN.
Daljinder Singh Dhillon, senior superintendent of police in the city of Pathankot, said firing is also happening from the other side” but that it is unclear whether drones or “something else” is involved.
He said air defense is at work and explosions are “continuously being heard.”
“Our job is to keep people safe, so we had instated a blackout immediately and made sure people were indoors” Dhillon told CNN.
India’s air defenses are active over Jammu, Sunil Bartwal, an Indian army spokesperson in Indian-administered Kashmir told CNN.
The blackout has been in place since about 8 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET).
This post has been updated with additional information.
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Indian ambassador to US says strikes on Pakistan were meant to have a "certain finality"
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
A paramilitary soldier inspects a house after according to the Crime Scene Unit, a drone was brought down, on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday.
Imran Ali/Reuters
Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra said today that India’s strikes on Pakistan were intended to have a “certain finality,” arguing that Pakistan has escalated the situation.
“Pakistan chose to escalate it further,” he claimed, indicating that India would have to respond.
Kwatra argued that the strikes were proportional to the massacre last month and meant to be non-escalatory. He maintained that they were only targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure.
He would not confirm the downing of five Indian jets, saying that he would not speak to “operational details.”
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"Panic" and "palpable tension" felt in Indian-administered Kashmir amid explosions
From CNN's Mukhtar Ahmad
A journalist in Indian-administered Kashmir said he heard loud explosions and sirens on Thursday night local time.
“Electricity in Jammu city has been shut off,” said the journalist, requesting anonymity for security reasons. “There is panic.”
Resident Muzaffar Ahmad said there was a “total blackout” after explosions were heard.
Another journalist in Jammu, who also requested anonymity for security reasons, told CNN the explosions were first heard at 8 p.m. local Thursday night (10:30 a.m. ET) and that she can still hear intermittent explosions.
The explosions come as Pakistan’s military says it has downed 29 Indian drones.
CNN has reached out to Pakistani authorities for comment.
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Pakistan downed 29 Indian drones in ongoing attack, says Pakistani military spokesperson
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi and Caitlin Danaher
People gather in front of the wreckage of a restaurant's shade outside the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after an alleged drone was shot down on Thursday.
Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images
Pakistan’s military spokesperson said the armed forces downed 29 Indian drones in an “ongoing” attack.
The death toll from the drone attacks rose to three with four others injured, spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry added in an address to the nation Thursday.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the drones made attempts to attack “military installations” in Pakistan and added that Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was also struck. “Pakistan has so far limited its response strictly to self-defense,” the foreign minister said.
He added that a projectile that flew over the Indian city of Amritsar into Pakistan is being investigated by Pakistan’s forensics team.
CNN reported earlier today that drones were downed across Pakistan, from Rawalpindi in the north – home to the military’s main headquarters – to a site near the port megacity of Karachi in the south, Chaudhry said.
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US secretary of state urges de-escalation in calls with Pakistan PM and Indian external affairs minister
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to emphasize the need for de-escalation in the growing crisis between the two countries.
He conveyed to Sharif that Pakistan should “take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups,” the readout said.
CNN reported yesterday that India had called on the US and other countries to tell Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism, according to an official Indian government source.
Notably, in his call with the Pakistani prime minister, Rubio also “expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict.” Pakistan has claimed India’s strikes killed civilians, while India says the strikes targeted “terrorist infrastructure.”
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Explosions heard in Indian state of Punjab, police source says
From CNN's Esha Mitra
Police in Pathankot, a city in India’s Punjab state, received reports of explosions in the city, according to a police source there.
Police officials are working to ascertain the situation, the police source in Pathankot said.
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Explosions heard in Jammu city amid blackout, Indian Army spokesperson says
From CNN’s Esha Mitra and Caitlin Danaher
Explosions were heard in Jammu city, in Indian-administered Kashmir, an Indian Army spokesperson told CNN.
“Loud explosions—bombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected,” Shesh Paul Vaid, former director general of Jammu and Kashmir police, said in a post on X, and he added there is currently a blackout.
It’s too early to comment on whether the airport in Jammu has been targeted, the spokesperson said.
“I can confirm that multiple blasts have been heard but right now we are busy with arrangements,” Bartwal said.
This post has been updated with additional remarks from the Indian Army spokesperson.
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US has assessed that Pakistan shot down an Indian jet, senior US official says
From CNN's Jim Sciutto
The US has assessed that Pakistani forces shot down an Indian jet during India’s air strikes on Pakistani territory, according to a senior US official with access to the latest assessments.
The US has still not confirmed what weapons system Pakistani forces utilized to take down the Indian jet.
Pakistan claimed yesterday to have shot down five Indian Air Force jets in retaliation for Indian strikes, including three Rafales. Indian officials have yet to respond to the claim.
A high-ranking French intelligence official told CNN yesterday that one Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force was downed by Pakistan, in what would mark the first time that one of the sophisticated French-made warplanes has been lost in combat. The official told CNN that French authorities were looking into whether more than one Rafale jets were shot down by Pakistan.
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"A piece of shrapnel lodged in her chest": Father recounts shelling on Pakistan-administered Kashmir
From Immad ud Din in Muzaffarabad, Sophia Saifi and Antoinette Radford
A view of the Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, on Wednesday.
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Fifty-year-old Safeer Ahmad Awan described to CNN the moment his 15-year-old daughter was injured by the shelling in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Awan said he didn’t believe India targeted terrorists, and instead accused the country of “targeting civilians and places of worship.”
That sentiment was shared by Javed Alam, a tailor in Muzaffarabad who said he believed there were “no terrorists” in the region and instead suggested Pakistan’s army should “enter India and respond in kind. Mere words won’t work.”
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A look inside one of the safe houses along the de facto border
From CNN's Aishwarya S. Iyer and Antoinette Radford
Dozens of residents who live along the de facto border are sheltering from the escalating fighting between India and Pakistan in safe houses.
CNN obtained video from inside one of the shelters.
Take a look here:
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Video shows inside safe house in India-administered Kashmir
Video shows inside safe house in India-administered Kashmir
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Pakistan claims it killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers along de facto border in Kashmir
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi and Sana Noor Haq
Pakistan’s armed forces have killed 40 to 50 Indian troops along the de facto border with Indian-administered Kashmir, according to the country’s information ministry.
The ministry confirmed the figures to CNN, after they were first reported by other media outlets earlier Thursday.
“We have blown their (Indian) military installations on the de facto border,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told Sky News.
Islamabad has vowed to retaliate following Delhi’s fierce onslaught on Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir early Wednesday.
Pakistani security sources say they shot down five Indian Air Force jets and dozens more drones — allegations that New Delhi has not commented on.
CNN cannot verify the figures, and has sought comment from the Indian defense ministry.
CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer contributed reporting to this post.
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Pakistan and India trade accusations as tensions escalate. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
Members of the media film the inside of a building in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, after it was hit by an Indian strike on Wednesday.
Reuters
Tensions continue to escalate between India and Pakistan after India launched “Operation Sindoor” on Wednesday, killing at least 31 civilians.
India’s operation came in response to an attack by militants in India-administered Kashmir that killed more than two dozen civilians. Pakistan has denied involvement in the attacks.
Here’s what to know on Thursday morning:
Drones downed: Pakistan said it has downed 25 Indian loitering munition drones across the country, after what it called a “serious provocation” from New Delhi that wounded four soldiers and killed a civilian.
Pakistan air defenses targeted: India said it targeted air defense systems in several locations in Pakistan on Thursday morning. The announcement, made in a government statement, marks the first time India has confirmed it has targeted Pakistani military installations.
India death toll rises: A total of 16 civilians have died, among them children, as a result of Pakistani fire since early Wednesday, India’s Ministry of Defence said.
Indian PM’s first remarks: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for “continued alertness” and “clear communication” in his first comments since the recent escalation in hostilities with Pakistan.
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Indian Prime Minister Modi calls for "continued alertness" in first remarks on crisis
From CNN’s Esha Mitra and Sophie Tanno
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for “continued alertness” and “clear communication” in his first comments since the recent escalation in hostilities between his country and Pakistan started.
Speaking as he chaired a high-level meeting with government ministers on Thursday, Modi stressed the need for strong internal coordination and resilience in the face of hostilities with its neighbor.
Earlier, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told a meeting with political leaders that India’s military operation against targets in Pakistan “remains ongoing.”
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In pictures: The impact of the conflict on those living in India-administered Kashmir
From CNN Digital's Photo Team
The impact of the escalating conflict is most apparent in India-administered Kashmir, near the border with Pakistan.
Since Wednesday morning, at least 16 people have been killed there, and dozens more injured.
These photos show the reality of the situation for many on the ground in the region.
Mohammad Sahil stands inside his house after it was damaged by Pakistani artillery, at Salamabad village in Uri, India-administered Kashmir, on Thursday, May 8.
Mukhtar Khan/AP
Relatives and friends carry the body of Vihaan Barghava, 13, following Pakistani shelling in Poonch, India-administered Kashmir.
Channi Anand/AP
A man inspects damage to his house in Poonch.
Channi Anand/AP
Women cry in the remains of their destroyed house in Salamabad village in Uri.
Basit Zargar/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images
A man salvages items from his house in Poonch, following Pakistani shelling.
Channi Anand/AP
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India says 16 civilians have been killed as a result of Pakistani shelling
From CNN’s Vedika Sud, Aishwarya S. Iyer and Sophie Tanno
A total of 16 civilians have died, among them children, as a result of Pakistani fire since early Wednesday, India’s defense ministry has said.
India and Pakistan have had near daily exchanges of fire across the Line of Control since the April 22 tourist massacre that sent relations between the two sides plummeting.
Pakistan’s military previously confirmed it shelled Indian positions in Indian-administered Kashmir in response to India’s airstrikes on its territory. India accused the Pakistanis of unprovoked firing over the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides disputed Kashmir.
This post has been updated with additional information.
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India says it targeted air defense systems in Pakistan
From CNN's Vedika Sud
India said it targeted air defense systems in several locations in Pakistan on Thursday morning.
The announcement, in a government statement, marks the first time India has confirmed it has targeted Pakistani military installations.
India said that its latest response came after Pakistan tried to attack a number of military targets in northern and western India overnight using missiles and drones.
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"We went to a safe place... fearing shelling and firing," resident in Indian-administered Kashmir says
From CNN's Antoinette Radford
Residents near the de facto border that divides Kashmir are at the forefront of the conflict between India and Pakistan.
At least 12 people have been killed by crossborder Pakistani shelling on the Indian side of the Line of Control, which divides the disputed region, according to a senior Indian defense source.
One young man who lives near the border in Uri, Indian-administered Kashmir told CNN how his night played out:
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Pakistan foreign minister says it shot down Indian jets with Chinese-made aircraft
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi, Jessie Yeung, Brad Lendon, Nectar Gan and Juliana Liu
Pakistan’s foreign minister has said that its military had used Chinese-made aircraft to shoot down five Indian fighter jets the day before.
Pakistan said it shot down the Indian jets – three French-made Rafales, a MiG-29 and an Su-30 fighter – after India launched airstrikes on what it claimed were “terrorist” sites inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
India has not responded to Pakistan’s claims or confirmed any losses. CNN has not been able to verify these claims. A high-ranking French intelligence official told CNN that Pakistan downed one Rafale, and that French authorities were investigating whether any more had been shot down.
“Our jet fighters were J-10Cs that shot down the three French Rafales and other jets,” Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Wednesday. He added that by 4 a.m. on Wednesday, there was “an entire Chinese team at the Foreign Office along with their ambassador” being updated on what had taken place.
When asked about Dar’s comments, a spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday he was not familiar with the situation and hadn’t seen “any relevant information” about the activities of the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan.
China is Pakistan’s main arms supplier, with Chinese arms making up 81% of Pakistan’s weapons imports in the past five years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
On Wednesday, China urged both sides to de-escalate – saying it “expressed regret over India’s military action against Pakistan.”
Some context: The J-10C is a single-engine fighter jet. J-10s first flew in the Chinese air force in the early 2000s, but the latest version — the J-10C – has improved weapon systems and is classified as a 4.5-generation fighter, a rung below 5th-generation stealth jets like China’s J-20 or the US F-35.
The latest versions of the US’ F-16 fighters are also 4.5-generation aircraft.
The J-10C is made by Chinese state-owned company Avic Chengdu Aircraft, which saw its shares in Shenzhen surge after the India-Pakistan escalation. Shares on Thursday closed 40% higher than they had on Tuesday before the escalation, according to Refinitiv data.
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Pakistan says it downed 25 Indian drones, calling the fresh attack a “serious provocation”
From CNN’s Esha Mitra, Sophia Saifi, Helen Regan and Aishwarya S Iyer
People gather near a cordoned-off site where Pakistan's army says its air defense system shot down an Indian drone in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday.
Fareed Khan/AP
Pakistan said it has downed 25 Indian loitering munition drones across the country, after what it called a “serious provocation” from New Delhi that wounded four soldiers and killed a civilian.
“Debris of Israeli-made Harop drones is being recovered from various areas across Pakistan,” the military said in a separate statement.
Harop drones are a long-range loitering munition – effectively a flying bomb guided by an operator – that is made by Israel Aerospace Industries, an Israeli aerospace manufacturer.
Earlier, Pakistan Army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said 12 Harop drones had been shot down across Pakistan overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
CNN cannot independently verify the claims and has reached out to the Indian Air Force and Ministry of Defense for comment.
Drones were downed across Pakistan, from Rawalpindi in the north – home to the military’s main headquarters – to a site near the port megacity of Karachi in the south, Chaudhry said.
One of the drones was able to “partially” engage its target near Lahore – a city of around 13 million people near the border with India – wounding four army personnel, Chaudhry said.
In southeast Sindh province, one civilian was killed and another injured due to the drone’s “activity,” he added.
Chaudhry said that Pakistan air forces were at a “high state of alert and vigilance.”
This post has been updated with new information on the number of drones Pakistan says it downed.
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UN General Assembly president “deeply” concerned about India-Pakistan escalation
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung
A UN team leaves after visiting the Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan- administered Kashmir on Wednesday, after the mosque was hit by an Indian strike.
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, said Wednesday he was “deeply concerned” about escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
A UN team arrived on Wednesday at a site in Pakistan-administered Kashmir that Islamabad says was hit by India’s missile strikes, a CNN stringer said.
The CNN stringer reported seeing two white UN vehicles in the city of Muzaffarabad, where Pakistan said a mosque was struck early Wednesday.
India claimed that no military, civilian or economic sites were targeted in its strikes. Pakistan, however, said Wednesday’s strikes had harmed civilians and targeted mosques.
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Pakistan’s prime minister thanks his "dear brother" Turkish president for support
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who he called a “dear brother.”
Sharif thanked Erdogan for showing “solidarity and support with Pakistan at this critical time,” he wrote on X.
Sharif also briefed Erdogan on the “valiant efforts” of Pakistan’s military.
Pakistan and Turkey are close partners. On Wednesday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned India’s missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir “raises the risk of an all-out war.”
“We condemn such provocative steps as well as attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” it said, and echoed Pakistan’s calls for an investigation into the April 22 militant attack in India-administered Kashmir. Delhi has blamed its neighbor, which Pakistan denies.
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Opening and closing of Pakistan’s airspace disrupts flights and sows confusion for travelers
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi and Jessie Yeung
Travelers wait at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, when all domestic and international flights were canceled on Wednesday.
Asif Hasan/AFP/Getty Images
The India-Pakistan tensions have caused widespread flight disruptions and confusion for travelers, especially those coming in and out of Pakistan, with the country’s airspace opening and closing at different times over the past day.
Pakistan had first closed its airspace after India’s missile strikes in the early hours of Wednesday morning, before eventually reopening it. But as of Thursday afternoon, disruptions remain, with the national flag carrier saying several flight routes had been suspended.
On Wednesday, Indian airlines also reporting impacted flights, and many international airlines said they were avoiding flying over Pakistan.
As of Thursday, the flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed some passenger planes had resumed flying over Pakistan – but most are still avoiding the India-Pakistan border or circling down past their coast.
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Locals and an official say an aircraft crashed in India’s Punjab state as India carried out Pakistan strikes
From CNN’s Aishwarya S Iyer, Esha Mitra, Aditi Sangal and Lex Harvey
Eyewitnesses and a local official in northern India’s Punjab have told CNN a plane crashed out of the night sky on Wednesday — around the same time Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian jets.
India has not commented on the claims, nor can CNN independently verify them.
Eyewitness accounts: An agricultural worker who lives in Aklain Kalan village in Bathinda in Punjab said he heard a loud explosion around 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday.
“It was an unidentified aircraft that had crashed. We rushed to it and sparks were coming out of it.”
He said one person died and several were injured from the fire.
A grocery store owner who lives near the site of the crash said he and his family also heard the explosions.
CNN has chosen not to name the eyewitnesses.
A local government official confirmed to CNN that an aircraft crashed into a wheat field in Aklain Kalan village in Bathinda, Punjab at around 2 a.m. that night. He said the aircraft was unidentified but “seems to be ours.”
Indian media reports: While there have been no reports or official confirmation from authorities on any crash in Punjab, Indian media outlets have reported an aircraft crashed at the site around the same time, with one dead and nine injured.
Dr Dheera Gupta at a government hospital near the crash site told CNN that 10 people were brought to her hospital, of whom one was declared dead.
It is not clear who the aircraft belonged to.
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India and Pakistan have a tense history. These are the wars they have fought before
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
A Pakistani soldier aims his rifle as a fellow soldier runs for cover, while their position was being targeted by Indian shelling, on December 2, 1971, in what was then called the Jessore area of East Pakistan. The area is now part of modern-day Bangladesh, following the 1971 war between India and Pakistan.
AP
Kashmir has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since both gained 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.
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.
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In Indian-administered Kashmir, residents are tense after overnight shelling and evacuations
From CNN’s Mukhtar Ahmad, Aishwarya S Iyer and Jessie Yeung
Residents in Indian-administered Kashmir described feeling confused and tense after another night of cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces, with some ordered to evacuate.
One person living in the Karnah area, close to the Line of Control that divides the contested Kashmir region, said their house had been damaged by shelling and that the firing remained “heavy” into Wednesday night.
Srinagar is the biggest city in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A 21-year-old student said their family had spent Wednesday night in an underground cement bunker with no beds or fans. Women and children from six or seven families were sent into the bunker to protect them from shelling, while other family members stayed in the back rooms of their houses, the student said.
Another resident living close to Kupwara town near the border said he heard shelling from around 4:30 to 5 a.m. today.
The Kupwara resident said people were going about daily life – though children are staying home as schools are shut. They said there is a lack of reliable information leaving people to talk among themselves to try and make sense of what happened.
While Kashmir is one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, this latest escalation follows years of relative calm.
Residents of Pakistan-administered Kashmir also said they were forced to flee their homes and take shelter.
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Analysis: Why isn’t the US leading efforts to lower tensions between India and Pakistan?
From CNN's Stephen Collinson
President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The violent crisis between India and Pakistan is exactly the kind of international emergency that would once have prompted a full-on US diplomatic drive to cool tempers and head off a wider war.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered a passive initial response to the fighting. On Wednesday, he went a little further, offering his good offices without showing much enthusiasm for becoming involved: “If I can do anything to help, I will be there,” Trump said.
But there’s no indication so far of a broadening US effort to coordinate international mediation or crisis management.
This may be partly because the time is not yet ripe for diplomacy, since everybody expects several steps up an escalatory ladder by both sides. While Pakistan’s claim to have shot down five Indian planes may suggest its honor is satisfied, its leaders have pledged to hit back at Indian military facilities.
The US response will be closely watched in the coming days because the second Trump administration has thrown away the US foreign policy playbook, leaving a vacuum where US multinational leadership once operated.
What to know about the Islamist militant groups India says it targeted in its strikes on Pakistan
From CNN’s Aditi Sangal
Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, left, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba leader Hafiz Saeed.
AP/Getty Images
The two militant groups India said it targeted in its Wednesday strikes on Pakistan are declared as terror groups by many countries and have been accused of launching several massive and deadly attacks on neighboring India. They are Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two extremist groups based in Pakistan.
India said it launched the strikes in response to a massacre of tourists in India-administered Kashmir that it blamed on Pakistan.Pakistan has denied any involvement and said it has long battled terror groups.
Here’s what to know about the two Islamist groups:
Jaish-e-Mohammed, which translates to the Army of the Prophet Mohammed, is a Pakistan-based extremist group that operates across Kashmir, and seeks to unite the Indian-administered area of the disputed state with Pakistan. The US and the UN Security Council listed JeM as a terrorist organization in 2001. JeM is “based in Peshawar and Muzaffarabad, Pakistan,” the UN Security Council noted. Muzaffarabad was one of the locations hit by India’s strikes.
He formed JeM with support from Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, and several other extremist organizations.
Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, which translates to Army of the Pure, is also a Pakistan-based organization with the same goal of uniting Indian-administered Kashmir with Pakistan.
The UN Security Council says it is linked to Al-Qaeda and “conducted numerous terrorist operations against military and civilian targets since 1993, including the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, which killed approximately 164 persons and injured hundreds more.”
Two drones shot down over Pakistani city of Lahore, source says
From Azaz Syed and Lex Harvey
Police in Lahore said two drones were shot down over the Pakistani city on Thursday, a police official who asked for anonymity told CNN, a day after India launched deadly strikes on its neighbor.
The source did not say what kind of drones they were, nor where they had come from. Officials were “examining the details about these machines” and looking into where they came from and who they belonged to, the source said.
Lahore is roughly 13 miles from the Indian border and is home to around 13 million people.
The drones came within range of a jamming system — which interferes with the signal drones use to communicate with their operators, sometimes causing them to fall — the source said.
CNN has not independently verified the claims.
Pakistan’s Airport Authority announced on Thursday that Lahore’s airport would remain non-operational until at least 12 p.m. local time, without giving a reason.
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India embassy in China calls reports of downed jets "disinformation" as rest of Indian government stays silent
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung
The Indian embassy in Beijing has pushed back on reports that Pakistan shot down Indian Air Force fighter jets – seemingly the first response by Indian officials to Islamabad’s claims.
Responding on X to an article by Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times, the Indian embassy wrote: “We would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation.”
The embassy account also highlighted what it said weremisleading photos circulating online that purportedly showed the crashed jets – claiming they were old photos from unrelated incidents in 2021 and 2024.
It’s unclear whether the embassy is denying Pakistan’s claims altogether.
The embassy’s statement is in stark contrast to the silence from the rest of India’s government and military on the matter.
For context: On Wednesday, Pakistan said it shot down five Indian jets, including three French-made Rafale fighters. A high-ranking French intelligence official later told CNN that Pakistan had downed one Rafale, and that French authorities were looking into whether more than one was brought down.
CNN cannot independently verify these claims.
China’s position: India and China have long had fraught relations, with several clashes over the years regarding their contested border. But China has recently 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, however, is one of China’s closest partners and main arms supplier, with Chinese arms making up 81% of Pakistan’s weapons imports in the past five years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.. On Wednesday, China urged both sides to de-escalate, saying it “expressed regret over India’s military action against Pakistan.”
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Analysis: The fog of war hovers over Pakistan and India’s aerial clash
From CNN's Brad Lendon, Senior Global Military Affairs Reporter
People look at the debris of an aircraft in Wuyan, India-administered Kashmir, on Wednesday. CNN cannot independently verify who the aircraft belonged to or what brought it down.
Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images
A day after India launched airstrikes on what it claimed were “terrorist” sites inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the fog of war still hangs over much of the battle.
Pakistan’s leaders are touting a great victory by the country’s air force, saying five Indian fighter jets were shot down during an hour-long battle fought at ranges over 160 kilometers (100 miles).
India’s leaders are saying little in response to those Pakistani claims, though they say their attacks successfully hit multiple intended targets and showed what they said was video evidence of many strikes.
India has not acknowledged any aircraft losses, and the Pakistanis have yet to show any evidence proving they downed fighter jets. But a French Defense Ministry source said at least one of India’s newest and most advanced warplanes – a French-made Rafale fighter jet – was lost in the battle.
Military analysts are cautious, noting Pakistan’s claims have not been confirmed. But India is also not refuting them.
A resident and government official told CNN that an unidentified fighter aircraft had crashed on a school building in Indian-administered Kashmir, and photos published by AFP news agency showed aircraft wreckage lying in a field. But it was not immediately clear from the pictures of the wreckage who the aircraft belonged to and what brought it down.
CNN cannot independently verify the claim.
A bulldozer carries the aircraft debris in Wuyan.
Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images
Some other claims of aircraft wreckage on the ground across the battlefield circulating on social media have been debunked as from old encounters, or not even from the region.
Pakistan’s latest claims certainly come with a bit of hyperbole.
A Pakistani source told CNN’s Nic Robertson dozens of fighter jets engaged in a “dogfight,” the likes of which have not been seen in the jet age.
The term “dogfight” evokes “Top Gun” movie theatrics of fighters in close contact, swerving, diving and climbing to get out of missile lock from their adversaries.
The fight the Pakistan sources describe is far from that and more a long-range missile battle.
Modern jets are equipped with standoff missiles that can hit both ground and air targets from some 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in many cases, without ever having any visual contact with those targets.
Both Pakistan and India are equipped with sophisticated long-range surface-to-air missiles that could be fired well into the other’s territory to thwart any attack.
Pakistan’s claims of a stout air defense system defeating India will be somewhat undermined if the videos India showed at a briefing on Wednesday are authentic.
What’s likely is that pieces of the claims of both sides are true – India lost aircraft and Pakistan saw it defenses breached.
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21 airports across northern India will be closed until Saturday
From CNN’s Manveena Suri
Police guard the road to the Shri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, on Wednesday.
Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images
A total of 21 airports across northern and northwestern India will remain closed until Saturday, according to a senior police official.
“Until the situation is under control, we will be following the decisions made by the central government,” Sirivennela told ANI.
Multiple Indian and international carriers issued travel advisories on Wednesday regarding cancellations to and from destinations in northern India, after New Delhi launched strikes on Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
Other airlines said they were re-routing or canceling flights to and from Europe due to the escalation between India and Pakistan, with more than two dozen international flights diverted to avoid Pakistan airspace, according to FlightRadar24 data.
Late on Wednesday night (Thursday morning local time), Reuters reported that Pakistan had reopened its airspace and that its airports were fully functional.
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India and Pakistan fire shells across de facto border in Kashmir
From CNN’s Mukhtar Ahmad and Jessie Yeung
India and Pakistan fired shells at each other over their de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region on Wednesday night, according to a statement from the Indian defense spokesperson in Indian-administered Kashmir.
ThePakistani army had fired“small arms and artillery guns” across the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, to which the Indian army “responded proportionately,” said Lt. Col. Suneel Bartwal, India’s defense spokesperson in Jammu.
The two countries’ militaries have been exchanging gunfire across the Line of Control nearly every day since the massacre in April at the heart of this escalation. Gunmen stormed a scenic spot in Indian-administered Kashmir and killed 26 civilians, mostly Indian tourists.
Earlier on Wednesday, an Indian defense source told CNN that overnight shelling by the Pakistani military across the Line of Control had killed 12 civilians and injured 57.
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Analysis: What happens now between India and Pakistan depends on Islamabad’s next move
From CNN’s Aditi Sangal
People watch as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the nation, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday.
Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to respond to India’s strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir that were carried out in the early hours of Wednesday local time.
What that response entails may well decide whether the two countries are able to find an off-ramp or become locked into an escalating confrontation.
One option for Pakistan is to claim victory, pointing to the jets it claims to have downed. This option depends on the truth of Pakistan’s claims that it has downed five Indian Air Force planes, including three French-made Rafale fighter jets.
A second option is to carry out strikes of its own. Pakistan might decide it wants to “respond in kind” because some of India’s strikes hit the densely populated state of Punjab in Pakistan, said Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.
However, given India’s messaging has been that it will retaliate if Pakistan’s next move goes too far, Islamabad could decide to keep any response “below a certain threshold,” Madan said.
The latest statements from Pakistan suggested it is thinking of a measured response, Madan said, adding however, that no possibilities can be ruled out.
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Pakistan reopens airspace after closure prompted by India strikes
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung
Pakistan has reopened its airspace after closing it following India’s missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Reuters reported.
The country’s airports are now “fully functional,” according to Reuters, citing Pakistan authorities.
On Thursday morning, flight tracker website FlightRadar24 showed some passenger planes flying over Pakistan again – though most flights are still steering clear of the Pakistan-India border.
Some context: Pakistan closed airspace around Lahore and the coastal city of Karachi on Wednesday morning after India launched a series of early morning strikes on locations in the country’s north. There were major flight disruptions, with India also closing some of its airports near the border region and multiple international airlines avoiding flying over Pakistan.
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Will Pakistan and India avoid escalation? Here's what we know
From CNN Staff
A man stands on the debris of a destroyed building at the Government Health and Educational complex in Muridke, Pakistan, on Wednesday.
Farooq Naeem/AFP/Getty Images
India launched strikes on what it said were “terrorist” targets in both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir yesterday in response to a deadly militant attack on mainly Indian tourists last month.
Pakistan has vowed to respond: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tasked his country’s military to enact “self-defense” with “corresponding actions.”
Questions now turn to what Pakistan’s response will be. How Islamabad chooses to act may well decide whether the two countries are able to find an off-ramp or become locked into an escalating confrontation.
Here’s what else to know:
Defense minister speaks: Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif has warned that India’s strikes marked an “invitation to expand the conflict” between the neighbors — but cautioned that Islamabad is “trying to avoid” a full-fledged war. Pakistan will only hit military targets in India, not civilian, he said.
India’s message: India is urging other countries, including the US, to tell Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism, an official government source said, an accusation Pakistan denies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has not spoken publicly since the strikes, chaired a high-level meeting with senior ministers.
Casualties: The death toll in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir has risen to 31, with 57 wounded, a military official said. And overnight shelling by the Pakistani military on the Indian side of the Line of Control in Kashmir killed 12 civilians and wounded 57, an Indian defense source told CNN. India and Pakistan have had near-daily exchanges of fire across their disputed border since the April massacre.
Downed jets: Prime Minister Sharif lauded his country’s air force following a claim by military sources that it shot down five Indian fighter jets. Indian officials are yet to respond to the claim. But a high-ranking French intelligence official told CNN that Pakistan downed one Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force, in what would mark the first time that one of the sophisticated French-made warplanes has been lost in combat.
Fighter jet battle: A senior Pakistani security source told CNN that a battle between Pakistani and Indian fighter jets was one of the “largest and longest in recent aviation history.” A total of 125 fighter jets battled for over an hour, with neither side leaving its own airspace, according to the source. CNN cannot independently verify the claim.
Militant groups: India said it targeted “terrorist infrastructure” belonging to two militant groups – Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Masood Azhar, the leader of JeM, said 10 of his relatives, including five children, were killed by the attack. JeM is a Pakistan-based group that operates across Kashmir and seeks to unite the Indian-administered area of the disputed state with Pakistan.
Why the strikes matter: India’s military operation was a major escalation between the South Asian neighbors, and was the deepest New Delhi has struck inside Pakistan since the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, the biggest of several wars between the two countries.
