U.S. officials, speaking to a British news agency, have confirmed that Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets to shoot down two Indian aircraft on Wednesday, as part of retaliatory operations following Indian aggression earlier this week.
According to one American official, there is a high probability that the J-10s launched air-to-air missiles that brought down the Indian planes.
Another official added that at least one of the aircraft shot down was a French-made Rafale jet, widely regarded as one of the Indian Air Force’s most advanced fighters.
The report also cited Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who publicly confirmed that the J-10s were involved in operations that resulted in the downing of three Rafale jets belonging to the Indian Air Force.
Further validation came from a senior French intelligence officer, who told U.S. media that France has verified the loss of at least one Rafale and is currently assessing whether more were downed in the conflict.
Earlier, Pakistan’s military spokesperson confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force had downed five Indian jets during the night of May 6–7, including three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29.
These events mark one of the most significant escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in recent years and have drawn global attention due to the involvement of advanced aircraft and precision missile systems.
