According to security sources, in Pakistan’s counter-strike several Indian fighter jets were shot down across different regions. The pilots of these fighter jets were either injured or reported missing.

According to officials, one jet crashed in the Anantnag area, and its pilot may have been killed. The fighter jet’s ejection seat was later recovered from the Karnag area.

Security officials reported further that another fighter jet went down in the Pampore or Pulwama area, with both pilots seriously wounded and taken to a hospital in Srinagar. While third plane was destroyed in the Panthiyal/Ramsoo area of Ram Ban district; its pilot, Flying Officer Iqbal Singh, was injured and transferred to the Army Hospital in Udhampur.

These sources added that a fourth jet fell into farmland in Bhardah Kalan, Akhnoor tehsil. Both pilots ejected safely but were injured and moved to the military hospital in Akhnoor. Meanwhile another Indian aircraft was also downed near Bhattinda, reports.

They further reported that an Indian Heron Remote-piloted Vehicle (Heron RPV) was shot down about 13 nautical miles east of Jammu city.

Defence analysts say these successive losses represent a serious setback for the Indian Air Force. Operation “Bunyan-Al-Marsoos” exposed major failures of IAF, raising significant questions about Indian Air Force’s (IAF) overall military strategy.