A Pakistani security source has claimed that over 125 Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were engaged in a "dog fight" that spanned over an hour in the early hours of Wednesday during Operation Sindhoor.
The unsubstantiated claim was made by an unnamed senior Pakistani security source to CNN. However, CNN nor any other international media houses have confirmed the claims.
The official claimed Pakistan downed five Indian planes in the dog fight, which was "one of the largest and longest in recent aviation history". India has not yet confirmed these claims and has even gone on to debunk false claims by Pakistan, including footage. The officials have also called out Pakistan for its disinformation campaign.
🇵🇰 PAKISTAN HUMILIATED ON GLOBAL MEDIA
— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 Update (@TrumpUpdateHQ) May 7, 2025
CNN Journalist Becky Anderson asked Pakistan Defence Minister, “Pakistan claims it shot down 5 Indian jets and a drone. So can you provide us more details and proofs.”
Pakistan Defence Minister, “It's all over social media.” pic.twitter.com/l964FfcFCZ
The Pakistani official told CNN that the missile exchanges happened at distances sometimes greater than 160 kilometres (100 miles), and neither side breached the borders. He attributed this to the 2019 incident wherein Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was apprehended.
Pakistan's claim is that it downed Indian jets around 2:45 am while the third one, a Rafale aircraft, was downed an hour later. Hours later, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed Pakistan downed four and fifth Indian jets after 5 am.
He claimed, without giving any evidence, that Indian fighter jets took multiple runs at targets. The official added that Pakistan had warned civilians in advance and hence could minimise civilian casualties.
Dear world, this video is from Pakistan. Pakistani Army officers are openly participating in the funeral of terrorists...
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) May 7, 2025
Do you need more proof that in Pakistan, there's no difference between the Army and terrorists? pic.twitter.com/RxVajNhfJt
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that national security advisers of Pakistan and India have spoken after Operation Sindhoor. "There has been contact between the two, yes," he told TRT World, but refused to give more details.
Prime Minister Shehbaz too, had claimed without giving evidence that the Pakistan armed forces destroyed five Indian jets. He lauded the Pakistan Air Force and its chief "for the swift response" and claimed that the armed forces had prior intelligence about India's plans. Shehbaz claimed that India "paid a heavy price" for attacking Pakistan despite its numerical superiority and strength, despite later bemoaning that over 31 civilians died in the attacks.
