Pakistan-India clashes have continued into a third day with fatal missile attacks, aircrafts being shot down and the use of Israeli-made drones.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that Pakistani troops have eliminated between 40 and 50 Indian soldiers during clashes along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir.
And earlier today, Pakistani military spokesperson Ahmad Sharif reported that India had launched a wave of Israeli-made Harop drones into Pakistani territory from late Wednesday night into the following afternoon.
The Harop drone, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), functions both as a drone and a precision-guided missile, capable of striking targets at extended ranges.
It is listed as part of India’s drone arsenal in the Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Sharif stated that Pakistan had intercepted and destroyed 25 of these drones, calling India’s drone attack a “serious provocation.” He also said that one civilian was killed and four Pakistani soldiers were wounded in the strike.
India, meanwhile, claimed it had intercepted and neutralised a Pakistani drone and missile strike targeting its military assets.
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Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri declared that any future military action by Pakistan would be seen as an escalation and warned that Islamabad would bear responsibility for any attacks on Indian infrastructure.
India earlier alleged that Pakistan had tried to target Indian military installations with both drones and missiles, but insisted its forces had successfully repelled those threats.
Outbreak of hostilities
Hostilities between the nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan intensified after a deadly assault on April 22 in Pahalgam, a region of Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead.
India pointed the finger at Pakistan, alleging the attackers had cross-border support. Pakistan, however, denied any involvement and urged for an impartial international investigation.
The situation worsened midweek when India launched what it called “Operation Sindoor” late Tuesday night, targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” at nine sites within Pakistan.
Indian authorities said the operation was carried out as part of its right to retaliate, prevent future attacks, and send a deterrent message across the border.
However, Mosques and Islamic institutions were systematically targeted and destroyed. A deliberate provocation according to Pakistani officials.
Pakistan’s military reported that 31 individuals were killed due to Indian missile strikes and shelling in areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
A senior Pakistani security official, speaking anonymously to CNN, stated that Pakistan had shot down five Indian aircraft in what he termed one of the largest and lengthiest aerial dogfights in recent years.
According to him, around 125 fighter jets from both sides were involved in the aerial standoff, which lasted over an hour. He noted that while neither country crossed the other’s airspace, missiles were exchanged over distances reaching up to 100 miles.
India’s military reported that following its air raids, Pakistani forces initiated gunfire that escalated into heavy artillery shelling.
According to Indian officials, approximately 15 civilians were killed in Pakistani shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Poonch district, most of whom were Muslim Kashmiris trapped in the fighting.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told Reuters that communication has taken place between the national security advisers of both countries, as tensions between the neighbours continue to intensify.
India-Saudi meeting
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting that “Operation Sindoor” remains ongoing. He reportedly declined to share detailed updates, citing the sensitivity and continuity of the operation, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Singh informed officials that Indian forces had eliminated at least “100 terrorists” at what were described as militant training camps within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to local media.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met with his Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, in New Delhi, where he said they discussed India’s firm stance on combating terrorism.
Reports say the meeting took place in the Indian capital, highlighting the strong diplomatic and economic ties between India and Saudi Arabia.
