A damaged mosque is seen after an overnight Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said.

India attacked houses and mosques, targeting civilians in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the country's east Punjab province, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told media in a briefing.

He confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Sukhoi, and a combat drone whose debris fell inside Indian territory. "None of the Pakistani aircraft went inside Indian airspace," he added.

The ISPR chief said several posts and a brigade headquarters of the Indian army were targeted in Pakistan's retaliatory action.

Pakistani Air Force launched the attack only after India carried out "the unprovoked, uncalled-for aggression against the territorial integrity, and the innocent people of Pakistan by firing at them through standoff weapons."

In this incident, India targeted and damaged the Nausari dam structure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Muzaffarabad district, Chaudhry said, adding "targeting hydro infrastructure is an unacceptable and dangerous escalation."

The ISPR chief said that at the time of the attack, scores of national and international flights were in Pakistan's airspace and thousands of civilian passengers' lives were put in grave danger.

Chaudhry said that Pakistan will retaliate in response to the attack which happened in "the darkness of the night," adding that last night's actions from Pakistan were only a retaliation in self-defense.

"Pakistan reserves the right and will respond to this aggression at a time, place, and means of our own choice," he noted. 

This photo taken with mobile phone on May 7, 2025 shows a damaged building following an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

Destroyed houses are seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A damaged mosque is seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

Destroyed houses are seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A damaged mosque is seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

People walk through rubble of a destroyed building after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

An ambulance is seen near destroyed buildings after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

Women walk through rubble of a destroyed building after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

Photo taken on May 7, 2025 shows a building damaged in an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows a damaged clock in debris of a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows locals standing in debris of a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows rescuers examining a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows fragments of Indian missiles displayed near damaged buildings in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)

This photo taken with mobile phone shows rescuers examining a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Xinhua/Jamil Bhatti)