Pakistan says eight killed in Indian strikes as tensions soar
Eight people have been killed and 33 others injured in Indian attacks on Pakistani targets, the Pakistani military said early on Wednesday.
India launched missile strikes from air and surface on at least six locations inside Pakistan, claiming to target the hideouts of militant groups behind a late April attack in the disputed region of Kashmir in which at least 26 civilians were killed.
Pakistani military spokesman Major General Sharif Chaudhry said 24 missiles targeted six locations, mostly mosques and associated residential quarters, killing eight people and wounding 33. Another two people were missing, he said.
The Foreign Ministry did not give an exact number of victims, but said that women and children were among them. Previously, intelligence sources had reported that a child had been killed after missiles hit a mosque in the city of Bahwalpur in eastern Pakistan's Punjab.
Information Minister Atta Tarar said Pakistani missiles had shot down five Indian fighter jets and an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Bahawalpur is said to be the town where the militant group Jaish-e-Muhammad, which India had accused of being behind several deadly cross-border attacks, is based.
A small town near the eastern city of Lahore was also hit. Another anti-India militant group, Lashkar-e-Toiba, is allegedly based there.
India's strikes also targeted the city of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and a small town called Kotli in the same region, the military said.
India's Defence Ministry said in a statement in the early hours of Wednesday that at least nine sites were targeted in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir from "where terrorist attacks against India have been planned."
The targets are "terrorist infrastructure," the ministry said in a statement.
"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature," the statement said. "No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted."
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country reserved the right to retaliate for the "cowardly" attack.
Pakistani military sources told dpa they had started targeting military infrastructure on the Indian side of Kashmir.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have escalated since April 22, when at least 26 people were killed in a militant attack on a group of tourists in the town of Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir.
New Delhi pointed the finger at Islamabad, accusing it of supporting the militants. Pakistan denied having any role and offered to hold an independent investigation.
The conflict started hours after global bodies, including the United Nations and major world powers, urged the nuclear-armed rivals to exercise maximum restraint and avoid a direct conflict.
The South Asian nations have fought three wars since their independence in 1947 and pulled back from the brink of a fourth one over contested Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan valley divided in parts between the two countries.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Country Star Conner Smith Kills Elderly Woman in Car Accident: Police
Originally appeared on E! Online Conner Smith is at the center of an ongoing investigation. The country artist was behind the wheel of a pickup truck that struck a pedestrian June 8 in Nashville, according to a press release from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The 77-year-old victim, identified as Dorothy Dobbins, appeared to be walking inside a marked crosswalk when the incident occurred, according to authorities. She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she died shortly thereafter. Authorities listed the preliminary contributing factor for the fatal accident as Smith's failure to yield the right of way to Dobbins, noting in the release that the 24-year-old showed 'no signs of impairment.' No charges have been filed in the case. One day after the tragedy, Smith's attorney addressed the matter on behalf of the musician. 'On June 8th, Mr. Smith was involved in a car accident that tragically claimed a life,' Worrick G. Robinson said in a statement to E! News. 'His heart goes out to Ms. Dobbins' family during this incredibly difficult time.' More from E! Online Justin Bieber Slams "Transactional Relationships' After Hailey Bieber Split Rumors Blake Lively Breaks Silence on Legal Victory Against Justin Baldoni Farrah Abraham's Daughter Sophia Shares Rare Glimpse at Family Vacation Robinson added, 'Mr. Smith continues to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.' Smith first rose to prominence in 2021 with his viral single 'I Hate Alabama' and released his debut album Smoky Mountains in 2024. Earlier in the weekend, he performed at the 2025 CMA Fest in Nashville, describing the event as a career highlight. 'I just remember coming down here and watching people on that stage and dreaming about it, and looking up to the guys on that stage,' he said in an interview with American Songwriter posted on their TikTok page June 9. 'And then when you get to be up there and see people come in and pack out that lawn for you, it feels really cool.' Smith, who wed surfer Leah Thompson in April 2024, added that having his loved ones present made the performance all the more memorable. 'We always have family and friends out here as well,' he continued, calling the gig 'a really special moment.' For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App


CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
Sana Yousaf: Teenage influencer's murder leaves Pakistani women questioning whether any safe spaces exist
When Sana Yousaf turned 17, she posted a video of her birthday celebrations to more than a million followers on TikTok. They saw her cutting a pink and cream cake beneath a matching balloon arch, the June breeze ruffling her long hair as she beamed against the backdrop of the cloud-covered Margalla Hills in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Less than 24 hours later, Sana was dead, a bullet through her chest and graphic images of her dead body going viral on Pakistani social media, outraging women across the country, who fear there are no safe spaces for them anymore – in reality, or online. Police have detained 22-year-old Umar Hayat, an unemployed man from the city of Faisalabad, over Sana's murder. Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, the Inspector General of Police of Islamabad, alleged Rizvi 'repeatedly attempted to contact' the teenager and killed her when she refused to respond. CNN has not been able to locate a legal representative for Hayat. Sana's father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, told CNN no words could convey the family's loss, and his daughter hadn't told him she was being harassed. 'My daughter was braver than a son,' he said. 'She didn't fear anything.' As Sana's family prepared for her funeral, disturbing comments started popping up on her TikTok and Instagram posts, most in Urdu, celebrating her killing. 'Happy to see these things happening,' read one. Another stated, 'My heart is happy today, I'm going to turn on music and dance with joy.' Under a picture of Sana wearing traditional Pakistani clothes covering her entire body, a comment said, 'encouraging young women to seek attention or expose themselves can have serious negative consequences.' The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), a women-led nonprofit that promotes online safety, said such rhetoric 'dangerously links a woman's online presence or perceived morality to justifications for violence.' 'This form of digital vigilantism contributes to a broader culture of victim-blaming, where abuse is normalized and accountability is shifted away from the perpetrator,' the DRF said in a report released soon after Sana's death. Alongside toxic online comments, rage has simmered among women across Pakistan, who are demanding justice for Sana, pointing to a crisis of masculinity in the South Asian nation. And Pakistan is far from alone in seeing heated debates over the prevalence of violence against women. Recent multiple murders in Latin America, including a Mexican influencer who was shot dead while livestreaming, has sparked indignation and highlighted the high rates of femicide across the continent. British miniseries'Adolescence' became a global hit this year with its raw depiction of the damage caused by online misogyny while a recent largescale Australia study found one in three men saying they have committed intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. Sana's TikTok content would be familiar to any teenager online. Her recent shorts included showing off her fashionwear, singing songs while driving, and filming a blowdry at the salon. But for prominent women's rights campaigners, Sana's death was the ultimate outcome of unrestricted online abuse of women in a patriarchal country. Amber Rahim Shamsi, a prominent journalist and Pakistan editor of a news digital platform, Nukta, says she was relentlessly harassed online in 2020 for a variety of issues, including her views on women's rights. 'I have also been stalked online, and became fearful when my stalker started to send me mugs and mounted photos to my office. I am just one example among millions of women from all walks of life. Most don't have the privilege or social safety nets to protect themselves,' Shamsi told CNN. Shamsi agrees that there is a crisis in masculinity, 'especially in how it plays out in our digital spaces.' And that it needs to be talked about 'not just for women's sake, but for men's, too.' According to Shamsi, 'social media has amplified women's voices – especially those of young women – who are increasingly educated, politically aware, and unafraid to own their choices. That visibility, that confidence, is unsettling for some men who have grown up believing their authority, their control, is a given.' 'It's an identity crisis,' says Shamsi. 'A subset of men is reacting with anxiety and aggression to this shift in gender dynamic as though the solution is to shrink women's spaces, rather than question why so many boys are being raised to feel threatened by equality.' The DRF's report stated that since 2017 its helpline 'has documented over 20,000 cases of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online threats, numbers that have only grown.' Kanwal Ahmed, a Pakistani social entrepreneur and storyteller, runs Soul Sister Pakistan, a Facebook group created in 2013 with over 300,000 followers. For years, it's operated as a popular safe digital space for Pakistani women online, but Ahmed says the criticism of her page has been unrelenting. 'We have been called a man-hating, trauma-bonding club where all women do is gossip,' said Ahmed, who works with volunteers to help women in need who post on the page. Sana is not alone when it comes to unwanted online attention that's moved to real life. Ahmed recalled a case in 2019 of a young woman who had been stalked by a man after her friend leaked her number online. 'The only difference between her and Sana is that she wasn't killed, the stalker turned up at her door,' said Ahmed. 'You don't have to be an influencer to face this, it can happen to anyone.' Natalia Tariq, the resource mobilization lead at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), a worldwide network of social activists who use the internet to make the world a better place, tells CNN that there is 'a complete culture of impunity' around online gender-based violence in Pakistan. Regulations and policies in place in the country are 'absolutely inadequate,' she said. There's a perception in Pakistan that 'violence that takes place online is not 'real' and is therefore less harmful,' Tariq said. But she added that what are sometimes seen as 'merely virtual' online threats can often turn to physical violence. Much praise has been heaped on Pakistani authorities for their sensitive and swift handling of Sana's murder, but some commentators say that's missing the point. Usama Khilji, the director of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bhi, says Pakistan should be talking about educating boys about online harassment. 'Men in leadership positions need to be talking about these issues,' according to Khilji. Khilji said hate speech against women in Pakistan is still 'not a priority, and he's called on the government to 'show leadership in combatting online crimes against women.' Sana's murder comes less than two weeks after a landmark ruling by the country's Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for Zahir Jaffer, who murdered Noor Mukkadam, the daughter of a distinguished diplomat, in 2021. The brutal beheading horrified the country and renewed calls for better protection for victims of gender-based violence. Noor's father, Shaukat Mukadam, has been lauded for his relentless campaign for justice for his daughter. After the ruling, Noor's family issued a statement saying the verdict was a 'powerful reminder that women's lives matter.' Sana's father, Hassan, told CNN of his immense love for his daughter, of her plans to become a doctor, and the simple things that gave her joy, like birthday parties. 'Every moment with her was unforgettable,' he said.


CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
Teenage TikTok star's murder leaves Pakistani women questioning whether any safe spaces exist – online or on the street
When Sana Yousaf turned 17, she posted a video of her birthday celebrations to more than a million followers on TikTok. They saw her cutting a pink and cream cake beneath a matching balloon arch, the June breeze ruffling her long hair as she beamed against the backdrop of the cloud-covered Margalla Hills in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Less than 24 hours later, Sana was dead, a bullet through her chest and graphic images of her dead body going viral on Pakistani social media, outraging women across the country, who fear there are no safe spaces for them anymore – in reality, or online. Police have detained 22-year-old Umar Hayat, an unemployed man from the city of Faisalabad, over Sana's murder. Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, the Inspector General of Police of Islamabad, alleged Rizvi 'repeatedly attempted to contact' the teenager and killed her when she refused to respond. CNN has not been able to locate a legal representative for Hayat. Sana's father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, told CNN no words could convey the family's loss, and his daughter hadn't told him she was being harassed. 'My daughter was braver than a son,' he said. 'She didn't fear anything.' As Sana's family prepared for her funeral, disturbing comments started popping up on her TikTok and Instagram posts, most in Urdu, celebrating her killing. 'Happy to see these things happening,' read one. Another stated, 'My heart is happy today, I'm going to turn on music and dance with joy.' Under a picture of Sana wearing traditional Pakistani clothes covering her entire body, a comment said, 'encouraging young women to seek attention or expose themselves can have serious negative consequences.' The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), a women-led nonprofit that promotes online safety, said such rhetoric 'dangerously links a woman's online presence or perceived morality to justifications for violence.' 'This form of digital vigilantism contributes to a broader culture of victim-blaming, where abuse is normalized and accountability is shifted away from the perpetrator,' the DRF said in a report released soon after Sana's death. Alongside toxic online comments, rage has simmered among women across Pakistan, who are demanding justice for Sana, pointing to a crisis of masculinity in the South Asian nation. And Pakistan is far from alone in seeing heated debates over the prevalence of violence against women. Recent multiple murders in Latin America, including a Mexican influencer who was shot dead while livestreaming, has sparked indignation and highlighted the high rates of femicide across the continent. British miniseries'Adolescence' became a global hit this year with its raw depiction of the damage caused by online misogyny while a recent largescale Australia study found one in three men saying they have committed intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. Sana's TikTok content would be familiar to any teenager online. Her recent shorts included showing off her fashionwear, singing songs while driving, and filming a blowdry at the salon. But for prominent women's rights campaigners, Sana's death was the ultimate outcome of unrestricted online abuse of women in a patriarchal country. Amber Rahim Shamsi, a prominent journalist and Pakistan editor of a news digital platform, Nukta, says she was relentlessly harassed online in 2020 for a variety of issues, including her views on women's rights. 'I have also been stalked online, and became fearful when my stalker started to send me mugs and mounted photos to my office. I am just one example among millions of women from all walks of life. Most don't have the privilege or social safety nets to protect themselves,' Shamsi told CNN. Shamsi agrees that there is a crisis in masculinity, 'especially in how it plays out in our digital spaces.' And that it needs to be talked about 'not just for women's sake, but for men's, too.' According to Shamsi, 'social media has amplified women's voices – especially those of young women – who are increasingly educated, politically aware, and unafraid to own their choices. That visibility, that confidence, is unsettling for some men who have grown up believing their authority, their control, is a given.' 'It's an identity crisis,' says Shamsi. 'A subset of men is reacting with anxiety and aggression to this shift in gender dynamic as though the solution is to shrink women's spaces, rather than question why so many boys are being raised to feel threatened by equality.' The DRF's report stated that since 2017 its helpline 'has documented over 20,000 cases of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online threats, numbers that have only grown.' Kanwal Ahmed, a Pakistani social entrepreneur and storyteller, runs Soul Sister Pakistan, a Facebook group created in 2013 with over 300,000 followers. For years, it's operated as a popular safe digital space for Pakistani women online, but Ahmed says the criticism of her page has been unrelenting. 'We have been called a man-hating, trauma-bonding club where all women do is gossip,' said Ahmed, who works with volunteers to help women in need who post on the page. Sana is not alone when it comes to unwanted online attention that's moved to real life. Ahmed recalled a case in 2019 of a young woman who had been stalked by a man after her friend leaked her number online. 'The only difference between her and Sana is that she wasn't killed, the stalker turned up at her door,' said Ahmed. 'You don't have to be an influencer to face this, it can happen to anyone.' Natalia Tariq, the resource mobilization lead at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), a worldwide network of social activists who use the internet to make the world a better place, tells CNN that there is 'a complete culture of impunity' around online gender-based violence in Pakistan. Regulations and policies in place in the country are 'absolutely inadequate,' she said. There's a perception in Pakistan that 'violence that takes place online is not 'real' and is therefore less harmful,' Tariq said. But she added that what are sometimes seen as 'merely virtual' online threats can often turn to physical violence. Much praise has been heaped on Pakistani authorities for their sensitive and swift handling of Sana's murder, but some commentators say that's missing the point. Usama Khilji, the director of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bhi, says Pakistan should be talking about educating boys about online harassment. 'Men in leadership positions need to be talking about these issues,' according to Khilji. Khilji said hate speech against women in Pakistan is still 'not a priority, and he's called on the government to 'show leadership in combatting online crimes against women.' Sana's murder comes less than two weeks after a landmark ruling by the country's Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for Zahir Jaffer, who murdered Noor Mukkadam, the daughter of a distinguished diplomat, in 2021. The brutal beheading horrified the country and renewed calls for better protection for victims of gender-based violence. Noor's father, Shaukat Mukadam, has been lauded for his relentless campaign for justice for his daughter. After the ruling, Noor's family issued a statement saying the verdict was a 'powerful reminder that women's lives matter.' Sana's father, Hassan, told CNN of his immense love for his daughter, of her plans to become a doctor, and the simple things that gave her joy, like birthday parties. 'Every moment with her was unforgettable,' he said.