Pakistan says it shot down 25 Indian drones overnight
It has not commented on Indian claims that Islamabad sent drones and "missiles" over the border
India said Pakistan was attempting to "engage a number of military targets"
Pakistan says 31 people have been killed and 57 injured by air strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and firing along the Line of Control, since Wednesday morning
Meanwhile, India's army says at least 16 civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling on its side of the de facto border
India says the initial missile strikes were a response to a deadly militant attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam last month – Islamabad denies involvement
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen a decades-long insurgency which has claimed thousands of lives. India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full
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Watch: How tensions escalated between India and Pakistan
Produced by Geeta Pandey, Sharanya Hrishikesh and Vikas Pandey in Delhi, and edited by Nikhil Inamdar in London
Archana Shukla
India business correspondent
Markets in India and Pakistan have closed in the red amid escalating tensions between the two neighbours.
In Mumbai, India's benchmark stock market indices – the Sensex and Nifty – fell around half a percent in trade.
In Pakistan, trading at the Karachi Stock Exchange was halted during the day as stocks plunged sharply – its benchmark index the KSE100 lost more than 6% in trade.
There was palpable nervousness in the currency market as well with the Indian rupee slipping more than a percent against the US dollar, the most in more than three years.
Investors have turned edgy as both countries have accused each other of drone strikes, a day after Indian missiles struck Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
India markets close in red as tensions with Pakistan escalate
Devina Gupta
Reporting from Poonch, Indian-administered Kashmir
Mehtab Din says he won't leave his home in Poonch
The walls have gaping holes, the ceiling is missing chunks of cement, a fan is missing a blade and utensils and other household items are strewn on the floor.
This is what a house in Poonch – a district that lies along the Line of Control, the de-facto border between India and Pakistan – looks like.
Poonch is among the border districts in Indian-administered Kashmir that have been most-affected by cross-border shelling.
India says that over the past 14 days – since the deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam – Pakistan has repeatedly violated a ceasefire agreement, targeting Indian positions along the border, leading to 16 deaths. Islamabad has not commented on this.
A house damaged by shelling in Poonch
“I was with my wife and children when there was a loud blast. We all fell on the floor. I was hit on my chest with glass pieces,” says 48-year-old Mehtab Din. This took place on Tuesday night and locals say artillery shelling from Pakistan has intensified after India launched a series of air strikes against Islamabad early Wednesday morning.
After receiving treatment from a local hospital, Mehtab Din is back in his home in Poonch. But many of his neighbours have fled to safer areas. Locals told the BBC that a majority of the estimated 40,000 people living in Poonch have left.
I ask Mehtab Din if he would like to leave too.
"Where will we go? We run a small business and can’t leave everything behind. This home is our dream, how can we live without it?" he says.
He plans to cover the holes in the walls with bedsheets until he can get someone to repair them.
An IPL cricket match scheduled for Sunday in India's northern city of Dharamsala has been moved to the western Ahmedabad city.
The match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians will now be held in Ahmedabad on Sunday afternoon, secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association, Anil Patel, told local media.
There was some uncertainty around this match as Dharamsala airport is among more than 20 that have been closed until 10 May.
Authorities, however, said that today's IPL cricket match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, scheduled to be played at the Dharamsala stadium, will go ahead as planned. Both teams had reached Dharamsala for training a few days ago.
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar talked about the air strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir while welcoming Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Delhi.
The two countries are marking 75 years of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty. Watch the video to hear what he said.
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Satellite pictures released on Wednesday evening by Maxar Technologies show damage at two known locations in Pakistan that were struck by the Indian army.
The imagery – taken before and after the strikes – show visible damage at both Bahawalpur and Nangal Sahdan in the Pakistani province of Punjab.
The roof of the Subhan Allah Mosque in Bahawalpur
In Bahawalpur, three out of five domes on the roof of the Subhan Allah Mosque, on the city’s western outskirts appear damaged. Nearby buildings, about 165m to the northeast, also show signs of impact.
Two buildings around 150m apart that have been hit in the small town of Nangal Sahdan
In the small town of Nangal Sahdan, the imagery shows two buildings around 150m apart that have been hit. One appears partially damaged, while the other seems to have been completely destroyed.
The European Union (EU) has called on India and Pakistan "to exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides" in a statement.
EU said its member states condemned last month's deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. "Terrorism can never be justified. Those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice," it said. "Every state has the duty and the right lawfully to protect its citizens from acts of terror."
The bloc said it was monitoring with great concern "the growing tensions in the region and the ensuing consequences, including the possible loss of more lives".
"The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue," the statement said. "It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives."
The EU said it would work with all parties to de-escalate the situation.
India says 16 people, including three women and five children, have died due to Pakistani firing since Wednesday morning. The earlier death toll was 15.
In the statement that we were reporting from earlier, India said that Pakistan "has increased the intensity of unprovoked firing" across the Line of Control – the de facto border that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
It said Islamabad was using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir – and that the Indian army had responded to halt this mortar and artillery fire.
The US consulate general in Lahore has directed all personnel to "shelter in place", citing reports of "drone explosions" and "possible airspace incursions" in and near Lahore.
"The Consulate has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore’s main airport," a statement published on the consulate website read, external.
They have advised US citizens who "find themselves in areas of active conflict" to leave safely if possible, and to shelter in place if not.
The Indian statement adds it targeted Air Defence Radars and systems across "a number of locations" in Pakistan.
"It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," it said.
The statement does not give more details about how India targeted the systems. But as we have been reporting, Pakistan has claimed it shot down 25 Indian drones since last night. And India claims that Pakistan sent "drones and missiles" to a number of places in India.
India has just issued a statement saying that it neutralised attempts by Pakistan on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday to "engage a number of military targets" in northern and western India using "drones and missiles".
We're bringing you more details from there…
An official statement from the Pakistan army's public relations wing says they have now shot down 25 Indian drones since Wednesday night. The earlier number given in the press conference was 12.
In the last few minutes, India has also put out a statement – we will be bringing you details from it soon.
Arunoday Mukharji
BBC News, Delhi
Jaishankar told the visiting minister that India has no intention to escalate the situation
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has said that India does not have the “intention to escalate the situation” with Pakistan but any military attack on it would "be met with a very, very firm response".
Jaishankar was speaking at the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission meeting in Delhi where he welcomed the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The two countries are marking 75 years of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty.
“You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack,” said Jaishankar, referring to last month's attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam. India has blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attack, a claim Islamabad has denied.
Speaking about India's air strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, he said that Delhi's "response was targeted and measured".
"It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response."
Jaishankar told his Iranian counterpart, “As a neighbour and a partner it is important that you have a good understanding of the situation."
Iran had earlier offered to mediate between India and Pakistan.
Azadeh Moshiri
BBC Pakistan correspondent
In a press conference in capital Islamabad, a spokesman for Pakistan’s army has claimed that India committed “a second blatant military act of aggression” against the country. The spokesperson said that since Wednesday night, Pakistan had shot down 12 drones sent by India.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudry claimed this took place in major cities such as Rawalpindi, Lahore and an area near Karachi, and resulted in a civilian casualty and an injury. He said debris was currently being collected across the country.
The BBC has reached out to India’s army for a response.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Pakistan’s airport authority has said that major airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Sialkot will be closed until 18:00 local time (14:00BST) but did not confirm why.
The US and UN have called on Pakistan and India to avoid any further escalation. But Pakistan claims it is now the victim of – in its words – another “serious provocation”.
What it chooses to do next will have serious implications on whether this conflict escalates.
Nurussaba Garg
BBC Monitoring
Pakistan's prominent newspapers on Thursday have carried large headlines highlighting the military and civilian government’s resolve to give a “befitting” reply to India for the air strikes on Wednesday.
The Nation's headline was “Armed Forces authorised to avenge martyrs' blood at a time, place of own choosing”.
Pakistan Observer, which is seen as pro-military, highlighted the army's statement, external: “31 civilians martyred, 57 injured in Indian attacks: ISPR”. ISPR or Inter-Services Public Relations is the media wing of the Pakistan military.
The most widely-read English-language daily Dawn's headline read: “India launches devious attack in dead of night, external; Pakistan delivers befitting reply”.
The Daily Times ran a headline that read: “Pakistan Zindabad, external [Long Live Pakistan] – Military given go-ahead to avenge loss of lives”.
At least two newspapers highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's speech.
Pakistan Today daily said, external: “India’s heinous provocation not to go unanswered, vows PM Shehbaz” and The Express Tribune's headline said “India to pay heavy price: PM, external”.
Heli Shukla
BBC Monitoring
Indian newspapers on Thursday hailed Delhi's air strikes – the official name is Operation Sindoor – in response to the 22 April attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
"Sindoor serves justice, external", read a headline in the popular English-language newspaper Hindustan Times.
All Indian newspapers have commended the air strikes
"Valour: Army avenges Pahalgam terror attack, external" said a strapline in the Hindi daily Hindustan.
The action was called an "attack on terror, external" by prominent Hindi newspaper Navbharat Times.
"Payback for Pahalgam, external", read the headline in India's largest-selling English-language newspaper The Times of India. India's action was "a cold, calculated, carefully calibrated retribution after keeping Pakistan on edge for 15 days, external", the accompanying report said.
Meanwhile, the financial newspaper The Economic Times wrote: "India avenges the spilt blood with precision military strikes to wipe out terror infrastructure in Pakistan, external".
The Indian papers didn't give much space to Pakistan's claims – not confirmed by India – that it shot down five Indian aircraft.
Saudi Arabia's junior Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir is currently on a visit to Delhi that wasn't publicly announced earlier.
His visit on Thursday comes as tensions have escalated between Delhi and Islamabad. India launched air strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, saying it targeted nine sites. Pakistan says only six locations were targeted and that it shot down five Indian planes. India has not commented on the claims of the plane being downed.
India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said he had a " a good meeting" with the Saudi minister.
"Shared India's perspectives on firmly countering terrorism," he said in a post on X.
Iran' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also in India on a scheduled trip.
Pakistan army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that the country destroyed 12 drones sent by India to different cities last night.
India has not commented on these claims yet. The BBC has contacted the Indian army for a response.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said the drones were destroyed in Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Attock, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Mianwali and Karachi.
One civilian was killed and another injured in Sindh province after a drone fell on them, he said.
He added that a military installation was targeted in Lahore, injuring four army personnel and destroying some infrastructure.
Indian opposition leaders have expressed their full support to the government at the all-party meeting, which concluded in Delhi just a while ago.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed the opposition parties on the air strikes launched on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. He added that opposition leaders also gave their suggestions.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told news agency ANI that the government said "they cannot share a few things which are confidential in the interest of national security. We [all parties] said we stand with the government".
Chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party Asaduddin Owaisi said he suggested that India "should run an international campaign against The Resistance Front (TRF)" – a militant group Delhi has blamed for last month's militant attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam.
India says TRF is a front for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e Taiba, a group designated as terrorist by United Nations.
Indian opposition parties have given their full support to the government
Devina Gupta
Reporting from Surankote, Indian-administered Kashmir
Sufreen fled her home in Poonch due to cross-border shelling
Dozens of people in Poonch district in Indian-administered Kashmir have fled their homes to escape intense cross-border shelling along the Line of Control – the de-facto border between India and Pakistan.
India says that over the past 14 days – since the deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam – Pakistan has repeatedly violated a ceasefire agreement, targeting Indian positions along the border. Islamabad has not commented on this.
Locals told the BBC that the shelling intensified after Delhi's air strikes early on Wednesday morning against Pakistan.
"I heard a loud bang and ran out with my one-month-old child in my arms. I was so scared," Sobia, a local, told the BBC.
Sufreen Akhtar, another local, said she and her family left their home after a shell landed in front of their house.
"We couldn’t get a car and had to walk for miles [to reach a safe place]. I was crying all the way, there was so much shelling," she said.
Locals say at least 80 people have fled from Poonch to Surankote
Sobia and Sufreen are among dozens of others who have fled to Surankote from Poonch in the past 48 hours, seeking shelter with their family and friends. Surankote lies further away from the border and is hence not as vulnerable to the shelling.
Locals say that at least 80 people have fled so far and many more are likely to come.
‘I have 25 people living in my house right now. Some walked barefoot to reach here. Some didn’t even lock their homes because they had to leave immediately’, says Mohammad Alam Malik, a Surankote resident.
These families are now dependent on the kindness of people like Mr Malik to help them tide over this crisis.
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