Pakistan and India accuse each other of waves of drone attacks
India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks, as deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm.
Pakistan's army said it shot down 25 Indian drones, while New Delhi accused Islamabad of launching overnight raids with "drones and missiles", and claimed it destroyed an air defence system in Lahore.
The fighting comes two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied.
The South Asian neighbours have fought multiple wars over the divided territory since they were carved out of the sub-continent at the end of British rule in 1947.
At least 45 deaths have been reported from both sides following a sharp escalation on Wednesday, when India launched missiles it said targeted "terrorist camps", and Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of artillery strikes.
"Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets... using drones and missiles," India's defence ministry said in a statement Thursday, adding that "these were neutralised".
The defence ministry said earlier its military had "targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan", adding it had been "reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised".
- Blasts heard in Lahore -
Residents reported hearing the sound of blasts from the city, and aviation authorities briefly shut down operations at the main airport there and in the capital, Islamabad.
Karachi airport was also closed and remained so on Thursday evening.
Earlier, Pakistan's military said in a statement that it had "shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones" at multiple locations across the country.
"Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations," Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said from the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, where a drone was downed.
Crowds gathered at crash sites, some close to army installations, to gaze at the debris.
Emergency responders who were called by the public to the scene in Rawalpindi urged the public "not to panic".
"Let the authorities take care of it. Stay inside," said one emergency worker, 32-year-old Wajid, who only gave one name.
Speaking after the Wednesday missile strike, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said New Delhi had a "right to respond" following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men.
New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation for the Pahalgam shooting, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation into the April 22 attack.
- Global pressure -
Pakistan's military said on Wednesday that five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims.
An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.
Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink.
"I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate.
In Poonch, a town in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir that was bombarded on Wednesday, and bore the brunt of shelling by Pakistan, Madasar Choudhary said his sister saw two children killed by shells.
"She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," said Choudhary, 29.
"But shrapnel hit the children -- and they eventually died."
Based on past conflicts, analyst Happymon Jacob -- director of the New Delhi-based Council for Strategic and Defence Research, said the latest would "likely end in a few iterations of exchange of long-range gunfire or missiles into each other's territory".
But in an editorial on Thursday, the Indian Express wrote "there is no reason to believe that the Pakistan Army has been chastened by the Indian airstrikes".
"India must be prepared for escalatory action" by Pakistan, it said.
In a late Wednesday TV address to the nation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned they would "avenge" those killed by Indian air strikes.
"We make this pledge, that we will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs," he said.
Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar warned Thursday that any Pakistan military action would be met with "a very, very firm response".
burs-fox/stu
Originally published as Pakistan and India accuse each other of waves of drone attacks
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Senator McKenzie said there was "now a growing list of serious issues and tasks for the prime minister with his meeting with President Trump next week." "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us because the reality is there is a very real vulnerability for us," she said. "Obviously, we wish him every success in strengthening that relationship and not weakening it." The spokesperson for Mr Marles said there was bipartisan support for AUKUS in the United States, noting the passage of provisions in the National Defence Authorization Act in 2023 to enable the transfer of US Virginia class submarines to Australia, and to enable Australians to work on maintenance activities of US Virginia class submarines. "Our engagement with the Trump Administration and across the full political spectrum in the United States has shown clear and consistent support for AUKUS," the spokesperson said. "We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the Trump Administration on this historic project." Mr Albanese has previously discussed AUKUS in phone calls with Mr Trump, while Mr Marles has discussed the deal with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, both in February and May. "The president is very aware, supportive of AUKUS," Mr Hegseth said after the February meeting with Mr Marles. "(He) recognises the importance of the defence industrial base." Mr Marles responded that the pair had discussed how the US and Australia could advance their longstanding diplomatic relationship in terms of national security, including AUKUS. Foreign Minister Penny Wong discussed AUKUS with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in January. Australia's military budget is expected to rise to 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product, or output, by 2034. The US administration has called for Australia to increase that spending to around 3.5 per cent. Opposition Defence Spokesperson Angus Taylor last week called on the Albanese government to commit to "at least" 3 per cent, but Mr Albanese on Wednesday said he would not set an "arbitrary" figure. Australia tore up its $90 billion diesel-powered submarine deal with France to sign on to AUKUS and is contracted to buy several off-the-shelf submarines costing about $US4 billion each, before making its own. The first Australian-made boats are not due to be operational until the 2040s. The United States has launched a snap review of the AUKUS submarine deal, throwing its $368 billion security pact with Australia into doubt just as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares for a potential meeting with Donald Trump. After news broke overnight of the development, with the Pentagon reportedly saying the AUKUS deal must be weighed to establish whether it aligns with Mr Trump's "America First" approach, a spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in a statement that it was "natural that the Administration would want to examine this major undertaking, including progress and delivery." "We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review," the spokesperson said. "The United States advised Australia and the UK of the review. All three countries are committed to ensuring AUKUS meets national and trilateral objectives. "Importantly, AUKUS will grow both US and Australian defence industry as well as generating thousands of new manufacturing jobs." The Coalition responded with concern, with opposition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie telling Nine's Today the AUKUS pact and Australia's strategic defence partnership with the US needed to be "the Prime Minister's primary concern." "[It is] a deeply concerning development," Senator McKenzie said. "We cannot defend ourselves without these relationships." The Prime Minister will attend the G7 Leaders' Summit alongside Mr Trump in Alberta, Canada, from June 15 to 17, creating an opportunity to finally meet face-to-face with the President, although no plans have been confirmed. The Trump administration has called for Australia to lift defence spending and complained about strict biosecurity rules for meat imports, as well as the low prices paid for US-made medicines on the PBS, while holding out on providing exemptions to sweeping tariffs imposed on key Australian exports. Mr Albanese told the National Press Club on Wednesday that his government would not trade away "the things that make us the best country on earth" and said while he did not want to pre-empt any conversation with the President, "we'll only sign up to things that are in Australia's national interest." "Australia should decide what we spend on Australia's defence. Simple as that," the Prime Minister said. "We will always provide for capability that's needed." AUKUS is a three-nation security alliance between Australia, the UK and the US agreed in 2021 under the prime ministership of ex-Liberal leader Scott Morrison. It was formed to counter China's strategic moves in the Pacific arena and was underpinned by an agreement between the US and the UK to provide Australia with access to nuclear-powered submarine technology, to eventually replace its aging Collins-class boats, although the first submarine is not expected to join the Australian fleet for years. Australia, which in February made the first of six $US500 million (about $800 million) payments to the US for the boats, is supposed to initially buy between three and five off-the-shelf Virginia-class boats. But military experts say that while the US has the largest nuclear-powered submarine fleet in the world, its shipyards are not building them fast enough to meet the US Navy's own needs. The AUKUS review will be headed by US defence undersecretary Elbridge Colby and is expected to take about 30 days. The United Kingdom had recently completed an AUKUS review and reaffirmed its support, appointing Sir Stephen Lovegrove as its AUKUS Adviser. Greens Defence and Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Shoebridge predicted that Mr Trump would "use this review to either terminate AUKUS and pocket the money already paid, or extract an even more eye-watering sum from Australia to stay in the sinking project without any hard promises for the US to deliver." "Donald Trump is erratic, reckless and careless of America's allies and alliances but he does have one fairly constant trait, he puts US interests first and allies last," Senator Shoebridge said. "The USA reviewing AUKUS shows what the Greens have been warning about for years - this deal makes Australia a junior partner in America's military strategy, not an equal ally. "The Australian public deserves an urgent inquiry into AUKUS before Labor wastes more billions on submarines we will never see. "It's pretty clear what any US review into AUKUS will say, the US does not have any spare submarines to give to Australia." Senator McKenzie said there was "now a growing list of serious issues and tasks for the prime minister with his meeting with President Trump next week." "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us because the reality is there is a very real vulnerability for us," she said. "Obviously, we wish him every success in strengthening that relationship and not weakening it." The spokesperson for Mr Marles said there was bipartisan support for AUKUS in the United States, noting the passage of provisions in the National Defence Authorization Act in 2023 to enable the transfer of US Virginia class submarines to Australia, and to enable Australians to work on maintenance activities of US Virginia class submarines. "Our engagement with the Trump Administration and across the full political spectrum in the United States has shown clear and consistent support for AUKUS," the spokesperson said. "We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the Trump Administration on this historic project." Mr Albanese has previously discussed AUKUS in phone calls with Mr Trump, while Mr Marles has discussed the deal with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, both in February and May. "The president is very aware, supportive of AUKUS," Mr Hegseth said after the February meeting with Mr Marles. "(He) recognises the importance of the defence industrial base." Mr Marles responded that the pair had discussed how the US and Australia could advance their longstanding diplomatic relationship in terms of national security, including AUKUS. Foreign Minister Penny Wong discussed AUKUS with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in January. Australia's military budget is expected to rise to 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product, or output, by 2034. The US administration has called for Australia to increase that spending to around 3.5 per cent. Opposition Defence Spokesperson Angus Taylor last week called on the Albanese government to commit to "at least" 3 per cent, but Mr Albanese on Wednesday said he would not set an "arbitrary" figure. Australia tore up its $90 billion diesel-powered submarine deal with France to sign on to AUKUS and is contracted to buy several off-the-shelf submarines costing about $US4 billion each, before making its own. The first Australian-made boats are not due to be operational until the 2040s.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
US reduces staffers in Middle East as tensions rise
The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military say. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment "to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad". The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command "is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East". Tensions in the region have risen in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks - the sixth - is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, but US officials said it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame ... Something happened to them," he said in the interview recorded on Monday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that "threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts". "Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability," the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists on Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. "If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach," he said. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it "has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners". It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.
