Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following India's launch of "Operation Sindoor," a retaliatory strike against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was triggered by a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed.

In the wake of these events, reports have emerged stating that Pakistan has admitted to losing two of its JF-17 fighter jets during a strong retaliatory action by India. While initial reports suggested the downing of JF-17s, some sources also mentioned an F-16. However, other reports countered this, stating that there is no concrete evidence to substantiate these claims.

The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terrorist installations across Pakistan and PoK. The strikes aimed to eliminate leaders of terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who were responsible for planning and executing attacks in India. India has asserted that the operation was a focused and measured response, with actions being non-escalatory in nature and no Pakistani military facilities targeted. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the armed forces for the precision with which Operation Sindoor was executed, emphasizing that it was carried out with minimum collateral damage. He also stated that a large number of terrorists, at least 100, were killed in the strikes.

Pakistan, on the other hand, claimed that Indian strikes resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. They also alleged that they had shot down multiple Indian military planes. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has dismissed Pakistan's claims of targeting a dam as "absolute and complete fabrication" and questioned if it was a pretext to target similar infrastructure in India.

Following India's strikes, Pakistan reportedly attempted to target military installations in Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana using drones and missiles. However, these attempts were largely thwarted by Indian air defense systems. Authorities implemented blackouts in several regions, including Bikaner in Rajasthan, Jalandhar in Punjab, and areas in Jammu.

The situation has prompted international concern, with the US closely monitoring the situation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, urging Islamabad to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.

Amid the escalating tensions, security has been beefed up in Indian states bordering Pakistan, including Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Schools have been shut down in several border districts, and leaves for administrative and police personnel have been cancelled.