World calls for calm as India-Pakistan crisis deepens
India attacked nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday and Pakistan said it was mounting a response as the worst fighting in years erupted between the longstanding enemies. At least 26 people were killed in Pakistan, according to its military while 12 were killed in India. Following are the live updates of the full-blown India-Pakistan escalation:
Tarique Rahman condemns military attacks, calls for peace
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has condemned the military attacks in a neighbouring country, expressing condolences to the families of the victims.
"As there is escalation of tension in the neighbourhood, we condemn military attacks and extend condolences to the victim families," he said in a post on his verified Facebook page at 7:27pm today.
Indian Home Minister meets chief ministers of border states
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting with the chief ministers, chief secretaries, and senior police officials from India's border states.
The meeting was attended by chief ministers of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, and West Bengal, along with the lieutenant governors of the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, reports BBC.
The details of the meeting have not been made public
Ten relatives of Jaish-e-Mohammad leader killed in Indian attack, group says
Reuters
Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad said on Wednesday that 10 relatives of its leader Masood Azhar were killed in an Indian attack.
EU trying to mediate and bring tensions down: EU Foreign Policy Chief
Reuters
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has said the situation in Kashmir is very concerning and EU is trying to mediate and bring tensions down.
Airports in Pakistan are fully functional: Pakistan Airports Authority
All of Pakistan’s airports remain fully operational, the country’s aviation authority says.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) adds that the country’s airspace is also open and "secure for civil aviation activities".
Pakistan PM says five Indian aircraft shot down, reports Dawn
PM Shehbaz has said Pakistani jets did not cross into the Indian airspace and yet succeeded in shooting down five jets, including three Rafales. Two of them fell in Indian-administered Kashmir and one in India’s Bathinda.
Two drones were also taken down, the prime minister said. “This is conventional warfare […] and those who used to say India has left Pakistan behind in conventional warfare…they now know what we are, whether it is nuclear warfare or conventional.”
“Our enemies were unable to sleep last night and our friends have realised that they can approach Pakistan for help whenever they may be in a tough time and there is nothing more respectful for Pakistan than this,” PM Shehbaz added.
France, Germany 'deeply worried' by India-Pakistan tensions: Merz
Paris, France
France and Germany are highly concerned by clashes between India and Pakistan, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday, calling for reason to prevail on both sides.
"We are deeply worried by last night's clashes between these two nuclear powers," Merz said at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, adding that "now more than ever... reason and clear-headedness are required".
India says strikes on Pakistan were 'right to respond'
New Delhi, India
India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Wednesday that missile strikes against Pakistan were a "carefully planned" operation that exercised New Delhi's "right to respond".
India's military said the strikes destroyed "nine terrorist camps" belonging to those it blames for an attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people.
Pakistan said 21 civilians were killed in the strikes, with five more deaths reported in cross-border gunfire that followed.
Among the dead were four children, including two three-year-old girls, according to officials in Islamabad.
"The targets we had chosen were destroyed with great precision and sensitivity, ensuring that no civilian population or area was affected," Singh told reporters in New Delhi.
"We only targeted terror camps, exercising our right to respond to the attack on our soil."
Kabul warns India, Pakistan that escalation 'not in interest of region'
Kabul, Afghanistan
Afghanistan's Taliban government warned India and Pakistan on Wednesday that further escalation was not "in the interest of the region" after they exchanged artillery fire along their contested frontier.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on social media platform X that "it urges both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their issues through dialogue and diplomacy".
UK PM urges 'dialogue' to halt India, Pakistan clashes
London, United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday urged "dialogue" and "de-escalation" after violence between Commonwealth members India and Pakistan.
"Rising tensions between India and Pakistan will be of serious concern for many across Britain," he told parliament.
"We are engaging urgently with both countries, as well as other international partners, encouraging dialogue, de-escalation and the protection of civilians," he added.
The UK foreign ministry advised British nationals against all travel within 10 kilometres (six miles) of the India-Pakistan border and 16 kilometres (10 miles) of the Line of Control -- a heavily fortified zone of high-altitude Himalayan outposts that represents the de facto Kashmir border -- and the southwestern Balochistan province of Pakistan.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities," it added.
UK urges India and Pakistan to show restraint
Reuters
Britain on Wednesday said it was urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in dialogue following the worst fighting in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
"Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern," British foreign minister David Lammy said in a statement. "The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward."
Bangladesh calls for restraint as India-Pakistan conflict intensifies
Bangladesh has voiced deep concern over the intensifying conflict between India and Pakistan and urged both countries to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could worsen the situation.
Bangladesh government is “closely observing” developments in the two neighbouring countries, the foreign ministry said in a statement today.
“In the spirit of regional peace, prosperity and stability, Bangladesh remains hopeful that tensions will be diffused through diplomatic endeavours, and that peace will ultimately prevail for the benefit of the peoples in the region,” the ministry said.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain said Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar phoned him on Monday evening to brief Dhaka on Islamabad’s actions following the escalation.
“He [Dar] did not ask for support or any particular reaction. I simply said that peace needs to prevail, and steps should be taken to de-escalate tensions. No incident should take place that can further escalate the tensions. That is our expectation,” Touhid said.
The foreign adviser underscored the importance of dialogue as a means to resolving regional disputes.
Asked whether Dhaka would communicate the same message to India, Touhid responded, “If India wants to know anything from me, I will tell Delhi exactly the same thing. I don’t need to say anything in advance.”
EU urges India, Pakistan take 'immediate steps' to deescalate
Brussels, Belgium
The EU on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to act immediately to deescalate after the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades.
"We do urge both sides to show restraint and take immediate steps towards deescalation. The EU recalls the need for a negotiated, agreed and lasting, peaceful solution to the conflict," EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni told reporters.
Iran voices 'deep concern' over India-Pakistan clashes
Tehran, Iran
Iran voiced "deep concern" Wednesday after India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire in the worst violence between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei "expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan" and called on both sides to "exercise restraint". Iran, which borders Pakistan and maintains good relations with India, had offered to mediate last month.
Turkey urges India, Pakistan to act with common sense
Reuters, Ankara
Turkey urged India and Pakistan to act with common sense amid the military escalation between them, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, saying India's latest military action created the risk of an "all-out war".
In a statement, the ministry reiterated its support for Pakistan's call for an investigation into an Islamist militant attack that killed 26 in the Indian-administered side of the Himalayan region on April 22.
Modi briefs Indian President Murmu
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and briefed her about Operation Sindoor under which Indian armed forces struck at terror camps in Pakistan.
“Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and briefed her about Operation Sindoor,” posts President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn),” Murmu’s office said in a post on its X.
Meanwhile, the Modi government has convened an all-party meeting tomorrow (Thursday) to brief them about the military strike carried out by the armed forces targeting terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Riiiju.
26 killed in Pakistan, 12 in India
At least 38 deaths were reported, with Islamabad saying 26 civilians were killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, and New Delhi adding at least 12 dead from Pakistani shelling.
Armed forces of Pakistan authorised to undertake corresponding actions: PMO
The armed forces of Pakistan have been authorised to undertake corresponding actions after India’s strikes, said Pakistan PMO.
India’s act of aggression caused grave danger to commercial airlines belonging to Gulf countries, endangering lives of thousands, reports Reuters.
World must hold India 'accountable' after attacks: Pakistan security committee
AFP, Islamabad
Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC) which convened for an urgent meeting in the capital Islamabad after strikes by India on Wednesday said the world must hold its neighbour "accountable", according to a statement.
"The NSC calls upon the international community to recognize the gravity of India's unprovoked illegal actions and to hold it accountable for its blatant violations of international norms and laws," said a statement released by the prime minister's office.
Modi calls off Europe trip
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-nation tour to Europe has been called off in view of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Modi was scheduled to travel to Croatia, Norway and The Netherlands from May 13 to 17, according to PTI citing sources.
The prime minister was scheduled to visit Norway to attend the Nordic Summit.
'We fled into the hills'
Residents of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, said they fled their homes and ran into surrounding hills as India launched airstrikes early on Wednesday in a part of the city.
Mosque loudspeakers told people to seek shelter as the ground shook repeatedly and the sounds of explosions reverberated, they said.
"We came outside," said Muhammad Shair Mir, 46, describing the events of the night. "Then another blast happened. The whole house moved. Everyone got scared, we all evacuated, took our kids and went up (the hill)."
Pakistan says summoned Indian charge d'affaires after strike
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Indian charge d'affaires in the capital Islamabad was summoned on Wednesday after India carried out strikes in Pakistan, reports AFP.
"The Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to receive Pakistan's strong protest over the unprovoked Indian strikes at multiple locations across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir," a statement from the ministry said.
India’s opposition leaders back attacks on Pakistan
India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has come out strongly in favour of the government’s attacks on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, reports Al Jazeera.
“Proud of our Armed Forces. Jai Hind!” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.
Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha – the lower house of parliament – used a popular Hindi expression that can be translated as “Hail India!” or “Long live India!”
Mallikarjun Kharge, the opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, said his party was “extremely proud” of India’s armed forces.
“We applaud their resolute resolve and courage. Since the day of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, the Indian National Congress has categorically stood with the Armed Forces and the Government to take any decisive action against cross border terror,” Kharge said on X.
“National Unity and solidarity is the need of the hour and the Indian National Congress stands with our Armed Forces. Our leaders have shown the path in past, and National Interest is supreme for us.”
France urges 'restraint' in India, Pakistan clashes
AFP, Paris
France on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to show restraint as the worst violence in two decades flared between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
"We understand India's desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, said in an interview on TF1 television.
"I don't think anyone has an interest in a lasting confrontation between India and Pakistan," he said, adding that he would be speaking with his counterparts in India and Pakistan.
UK says ready to help 'de-escalation'
AFP, London
The UK is ready to support both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions, Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on Wednesday, following the worst violence between the nuclear-armed arch-foes in two decades.
"Our message would be that we are a friend, a partner to both countries. We stand ready to support both countries. Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do," he told BBC radio.
Russia expresses concern, calls for restraint
Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it was deeply concerned about the deepening military confrontation between India and Pakistan, and that it called for both countries to show restraint, reports Reuters.
Russia, which has warm relations with both India and Pakistan, said it condemned all forms of terrorism in a statement published on the foreign ministry's website.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif starts emergency security meeting
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif started an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday, his office announced.
The meeting was due to be followed by an address to the nation, his office added.
India damages hydropower plant in Pakistani Kashmir: Pakistan military
Pakistan's military said a hydropower plant on its side of the Kashmir border was damaged in early morning strikes by India on Wednesday, reported AFP.
"India also targeted Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project," said military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, adding that it damaged part of the dam's structure.
"What international norms and war laws and customs allow this -- that you target water reserves, dams and hydro power structures of another country?"
Shot down 5 Indian jets in India: Pakistan military
AFP, Islamabad
Pakistan's military said it had shot down five Indian jets, including three French Rafale fighter aircraft, inside India on Wednesday.
"So far Pakistan army in its defence and its response to the enemy, have shot down five jets and a combat drone. They attacked Pakistan," said military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.
"The India air force jets include three Rafale, one MiG 29 and one Su plane."
The Indian military begins press briefing after attack on Pakistan.
Pakistan death toll 26
Pakistan military chief says death toll from India strikes rises to 26 civilians
India death toll 8
At least eight Indians were killed and 29 others wounded Wednesday in the town of Poonch in Kashmir, close to the de facto border with Pakistan, a local Indian government official said.
Poonch's local revenue officer Azhar Majid told AFP from the town's hospital that there had been "29 injured and eight deaths", as Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged heavy artillery fire.
China says 'concerned' by India strikes on Pakistan, urges restraint
AFP, Beijing
China on Wednesday expressed regret and concern over Indian strikes on Pakistan, urging both sides to show restraint in response to a major escalation between its nuclear-armed neighbours.
China, which shares land borders with both countries and is a close ally of Pakistan, said it expressed "regret over India's military action this morning" and said it was "concerned about the current developments".
"India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved apart, and they are also China's neighbours," a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
"We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, remain calm and restrained and avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation," the spokesperson added.
3 fighter jets crashed in India's J&K
Reuters, Srinagar
Three fighter jets crashed in India's Jammu and Kashmir territory on Wednesday, four local government sources told Reuters, hours after India said it struck nine Pakistani "terrorist infrastructure" sites across the border.
A Pakistani military spokesperson told Reuters five Indian aircraft had been shot down, a claim not confirmed by India.
Asian airlines re-route, cancel flights due to India-Pakistan fighting
Some Asian airlines on Wednesday said they were re-routing or cancelling flights to and from Europe because of fighting between India and Pakistan.
Thai Airways International THAI.BK on Wednesday said it would re-route flights with destinations to Europe and South Asia due to the closure of Pakistani airspace and airports because of the conflict in South Asia.
Taiwan's EVA Air 2618.TW said that it will adjust its flights to and from Europe to avoid airspace affected by fighting between India and Pakistan for safety reasons.
One flight from Vienna will be diverted back to that city, while a flight from Taipei to Milan will be diverted to Vienna for refuelling before continuing on to its destination, the airline said in a statement to Reuters.
Korean Air 003490.KS has been avoiding Pakistan airspace for its flights operating between South Korea's Incheon and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Taiwan's China Airlines 2610.TW said it had activated its contingency plan and "taken a series of measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew". It did not elaborate.
Fighter jet crashed in Indian Kashmir; injured pilot taken to hospital: Indian official
Pakistan says the UN security council informed that Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately to Indian aggression.
Indian army says three civilians killed by Pakistani artillery fire
AFP, Poonch
India's army said Wednesday that three civilians had been killed overnight by artillery fired by Pakistan's army along their de facto Line of Control border with contested Kashmir.
"During the night of May 06-07... Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing including artillery shelling from posts across the Line of Control and IB (international border) opposite Jammu and Kashmir", the army said in a statement.
"Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing/shelling", it added, saying that the Indian army is "responding in proportionate manner".
Rubio urges India-Pakistan talks to 'defuse' situation: White House
AFP, Washington
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with his counterparts from India and Pakistan, encouraging both sides to engage in discussions to settle an escalating military confrontation, the White House said Tuesday.
"He is encouraging India and Pakistan to re-open a channel between their leadership to defuse the situation and prevent further escalation," said US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes in a statement, after India carried out air strikes on Pakistani soil.
Earlier this afternoon, @SecRubio spoke to the national security advisors from India and Pakistan. He urged both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 7, 2025
8 Pakistanis killed, 35 injured, 2 missing: military
AFP, Islamabad
The death toll from Indian strikes on Pakistan has increased to eight, the country's military spokesman said Wednesday, as India fired missiles at Pakistani territory and Islamabad vowed to "settle the score".
"In total in at six locations there were 24 impacts in Pakistan. In these 24 impacts eight Pakistanis have been martyred and 35 have been injured and two are missing," Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, adding one 3-year-old girl was killed in a mosque in Punjab province.
India lost 5 planes
India has lost five planes, said Pakistan defence minister to Reuters.
Qatar Airways suspends flights to Pakistan
Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan due to Pakistani airspace closure.
The airways posted a statement on X, reports Reuters.
Pakistan says civilians hit, claims downing 2 Indian jets
Pakistan today said that Indian missiles hit civilians causing deaths as it vowed retaliation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was responding to the Indian attacks but did not provide details.
An emergency was declared in Pakistan's populous province of Punjab, its chief minister said, and hospitals and emergency services were on high alert.
India calls strikes ‘non-escalatory in nature’
India today said it carried out "precision strikes at terrorist camps" inside Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, days after it blamed Islamabad for a deadly attack on the Indian side of the contested region, reports AFP.
The long-simmering conflict between the neighboring nuclear powers intensified dramatically overnight. Fighter jets roared through the skies over the Himalayan territory early yesterday and the sounds of explosions could be heard near the so-called Line of Control.
"A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched 'OPERATION SINDOOR', hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed," the government said in a statement.
Pakistan summons National Security Committee amid esclation with India
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee set for Wednesday, a senior official said, after the militaries of India and Pakistan clashed overnight.
"PM summons the National Security Committee meeting at 10 AM (0500 GMT)" the Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said.
India briefed US after strikes on Pakistan: Indian embassy
Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval briefed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after New Delhi's strikes on Pakistan, the Indian embassy in Washington said Tuesday, reports AFP.
"India's actions have been focused and precise," the embassy said in a statement, adding that Rubio, who is also currently the acting US national security advisor, had been briefed "on the actions taken."
Kashmir: The Himalayan region at the heart of India-Pakistan enmity
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and has been the site of multiple wars, insurgency and diplomatic standoffs.
Here is a look at the region, its history, and why it continues to be a source of tension between the two countries.
UN chief concerned over Indian military actions in Pakistan
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was very concerned about Indian military operations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, his spokesperson said on Tuesday while calling for maximum military restraint from India and Pakistan.
"The secretary-general is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries," the spokesperson said.
"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan."
Trump calls Indian strikes in Kashmir dispute a 'shame'
US President Donald Trump termed rising India-Pakistan tensions a shame, after India attacked nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir following an April 22 Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, reports Reuters.
Pakistan said it was mounting a response to India's military actions that occurred early on Wednesday Asia time and late Tuesday US time.
"It's a shame, we just heard about it," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They've been fighting for a long time."
3 civilians killed in Indian strikes: Pakistan defence minister to AFP
At least three civilians, including a child, were killed after India fired missiles at Pakistani territory early Wednesday, Pakistan's Minister of Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif told AFP.
"They have targeted multiple locations, which all are civilian... We have confirmed reports of three civilians killed that includes one child," Asif told AFP.
India says Pakistan fires artillery across dividing line in Kashmir
AFP, Srinagar
India on Wednesday accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire agreement with artillery fire across the dividing line in Kashmir, soon after New Delhi said that it had hit targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
"Pakistan again violates the Ceasefire Agreement by firing Artillery in Bhimber Gali in Poonch- Rajauri area," on the Indian side, Indian army said in a post on X. The army "is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner," it added.
India carried out strikes in three Pakistan regions: Pakistan army
AFP, Islamabad
India carried out "air strikes" in three regions of Pakistan, the Pakistani army announced late Tuesday, citing two towns in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and a third in Punjab, bordering India.
AFP correspondents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab heard several loud explosions.
"Pakistan will respond to (India's attacks) at a time and place of its own choosing," said Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military spokesperson, said, calling the air strikes a "heinous provocation."
Multiple loud explosions heard in Pakistani Kashmir: Reuters witness
Reuters, Muzaffarabad
Multiple loud explosions were heard in the Pakistani Kashmir area close to the mountains around the city of Muzaffarabad after midnight on Wednesday, multiple Reuters witnesses said.
After the explosions, the city's power was blacked out, the witnesses said. It was not immediately clear what the explosions were.
- Heavy cross-border shelling by both sides
- Gunfire reported across Kashmir frontier
- Pakistan says India launched missiles
- India says it struck 'terrorist sites' in Pakistan
- Pakistan says mosques, civilians hit, vows to respond
- Pakistan says it shot down 5 Indian planes
- At least 26 killed: Pakistan military; 12 killed in India: New Delhi
- US, China, UN call for restraint
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