Baghdad: Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that the Pakistani Air Force shot down five Indian fighter jets. A Pakistani security spokesman had initially reported that Pakistani Air Force fighters shot down two Indian fighters, confirming that all Pakistani Air Force aircraft were safe and unharmed.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Pakistani forces declared a state of high alert, while the country’s airspace was closed for 48 hours in anticipation of any developments. Earlier on Tuesday evening, a Pakistani military spokesman announced that Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad had been subjected to an Indian missile attack targeting a power plant, stressing that New Delhi “will receive a firm response.”

A spokesperson for the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that Pakistan had closed its airspace for 48 hours following the Indian attacks. He explained that flight operations at Islamabad and Lahore airports had been suspended until further notice. Medical sources reported that the death toll from the Indian attack had risen to eight, while 35 others were injured.