Pakistan Claims to Down 3 Rafale, 1 Su-30, 1 MiG-29 Amid Indian Strikes Killing 8, Injuring 35

Pakistan has claimed that its military shot down five Indian fighter jets in response to Indian missile strikes on its territory. The Pakistani military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that the Indian jets were downed while in Indian airspace, targeting locations in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. The downed aircraft include three Rafale jets, one Su-30, and one MiG-29, according to the Pakistani military. The conflict escalated after India launched missile attacks on six locations in Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of eight civilians and injuries to 35 others, with two people reported missing, as stated by Pakistani authorities. India's military operation, named 'Operation Sindoor,' targeted nine sites in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, which India claims were used to plan and direct an attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 people. Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Bloomberg TV that five Indian planes were shot down and some Indian soldiers were taken prisoner. However, these claims could not be independently verified. In response to the Indian actions, Pakistan has closed its airspace, and emergency measures have been implemented in Punjab province.