Pakistan’s military warned it would mount a strong response to any attack as it marked the anniversary of the four-day May 2025 clash with India that nearly sparked a broader war. The escalation followed a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people and prompted reciprocal strikes.
Pakistan claimed it shot down several Indian aircraft, including a Rafale jet; India reported losses but gave few details. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire on May 10 ended the immediate fighting.
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s military on Thursday warned it would respond forcefully to any attack as the country observed the anniversary of the four-day May 2025 clash with neighboring India that brought the nuclear-armed rivals close to open war before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted the fighting.
The military said any "hostile design" against Pakistan would be countered with "greater strength, precision and resolve" than what India faced during the May 2025 confrontation, which Islamabad has called "Marka-e-Haq," or "Battle of Truth."
The escalation followed a deadly assault in the Indian-administered portion of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir that killed 26 people, most of them Hindu tourists. India accused Pakistan-backed militants of carrying out the massacre; Pakistan rejected the allegation and called for an independent investigation.
India launched strikes inside Pakistan on May 7, prompting Pakistani retaliatory actions that included drone incursions, missile strikes and artillery fire. Dozens of people were killed on both sides before a ceasefire took effect on May 10 after U.S. mediation.
At the time, Pakistan claimed it had shot down at least seven Indian military aircraft, including a French-made Rafale fighter jet. India acknowledged some losses but did not release detailed casualty or equipment figures.
The United States played a mediating role in securing the ceasefire, and then-President Donald Trump later said he had helped avert a wider war. Analysts warn that the India-Pakistan rivalry — rooted mainly in the unresolved Kashmir dispute and decades of mutual distrust — continues to carry the risk of rapid escalation between nuclear-armed states.
"Any hostile design against Pakistan will be met with decisive response," the military statement said, underscoring Islamabad's emphasis on deterrence and national defense.
Observers say the anniversary serves as a reminder of how quickly localized attacks can spiral into larger confrontations in South Asia, and of the fragile balance that continues to define India-Pakistan relations.
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