In a swift retaliation to India’s missile strikes, the Pakistan Air Force has shot down two Indian fighter jets. According to state-run PTV, all Pakistani aircraft involved in the operation returned safely. “Our armed forces are responding appropriately to enemy aggression,” the channel stated. Around 1:00 AM local time on Wednesday, India launched missile attacks on nine locations inside Pakistan. At least three missiles struck cities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two other urban areas, resulting in the deaths of two civilians and injuring more than a dozen others.

India has launched missile strikes in Pakistan amid escalating tensions following the recent Kashmir attack. The strikes, carried out early Wednesday, targeted Kotli, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad, according to Pakistan’s military spokesperson. India also initiated "Operation Sindoor," hitting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. While Pakistan condemned the attacks as cowardly, India clarified that no military installations were targeted. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the already strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

For the second consecutive night, Moscow has come under heavy drone assault from Ukraine. In response, four major airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky—have been temporarily shut down for security reasons. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that at least 19 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and shot down across the city. Debris from some drones landed on a major highway, but no casualties have been reported. Meanwhile, in Russia’s Kursk region, a Ukrainian attack damaged a power substation in the town of Rylsk, injuring two people.

In response to a Houthi missile strike that hit the perimeter of Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, U.S. and Israeli forces carried out retaliatory airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Over 50 bombs were reportedly dropped, destroying multiple structures, including a cement factory. At least 21 people were injured, and significant damage was inflicted on Hodeidah port, which is alleged to be a conduit for Iranian arms transfers to the Houthis.

Israeli attacks and unexploded ordnance are leaving Gaza’s children blind and traumatized. Seven-year-old Mohammad Hijazi lost vision in one eye after a sudden blast while playing outside. Fourteen-year-old Maysa al-Ghandour, once aspiring to become a doctor or teacher, lost her eyesight in an Israeli airstrike. “We’re not living in Gaza anymore—we’re just waiting to die,” she said. The ongoing conflict continues to devastate young lives.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing 300 civilians in Al-Nahud, located in the Kordofan region. The RSF announced they had taken control of the region after a day of fighting with South Sudanese forces. The Foreign Ministry has called on the UN Security Council and international organizations to abandon their complacent attitude toward the RSF.

In the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed at least 40 Palestinians, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 52,535. An additional 125 people were injured, raising the total number of wounded to 118,491. Many people are still trapped under rubble, with rescue teams unable to reach them due to ongoing destruction.

The Israeli military has announced plans to activate thousands of reserve forces in the coming days, who may be deployed directly to Gaza or other fronts like Lebanon, the West Bank, and Syria. This move comes as Israel prepares for an escalation in Gaza, with plans to bring in 400,000 reserve soldiers. This has put additional pressure on the country’s labor market as many workers lose their jobs.

Houthi forces in Yemen launched a hypersonic missile at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, creating a 25-meter-deep crater and injuring at least seven people. In response, Israel suspended all domestic and international flights. The attack triggered mass panic, with over 3 million Israelis seeking shelter underground.

Two Israeli soldiers—Captain Noam Ravid (23) and Staff Sergeant Yali Serer (20)—were killed in a tunnel explosion in Rafah, with two others injured, according to the IDF. The Yahalom Unit was investigating the entrance of a tunnel when the blast occurred. The ongoing ground offensive in Gaza has raised the Israeli death toll to 416.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for a three-day ceasefire as a "staged show." Russia has not accepted a broader 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by Kyiv and Washington. “We are not playing games to help Putin appear less isolated during his May 9 Victory Day celebration,” Zelensky said. Nearly 20 foreign leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, are expected to attend the Moscow event. Zelensky warned that Russia might orchestrate incidents on that day and blame Ukraine.

At least 57 Palestinians have died of starvation due to Israel's over two-month-long blockade on Gaza. Qatar condemned the humanitarian crisis, calling Israel’s actions a sign of “political and moral failure.” It urged the international community to act. “The people of Gaza are enduring one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our time. Is this what modern civilization represents?” Qatar noted that Israel has even attacked ships carrying humanitarian aid.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have claimed another 39 lives in a single day, pushing the death toll to around 52,500. In the past 48 hours alone, 77 Palestinians have been killed and 275 injured, bringing the total number of wounded to over 118,000. Rescue workers are still unable to reach many trapped under rubble. In the second phase of the offensive, over 2,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,000 injured.

Ukraine launched a large-scale overnight attack using 183 drones and two ballistic missiles on various Russian targets, including Novorossiysk port in the Black Sea. The attack damaged a grain terminal and several residential buildings, injuring at least five people, including two children. Novorossiysk’s mayor declared a state of emergency following the assault.

On Thursday, the Israeli military launched a drone strike on a humanitarian aid ship en route to Gaza, which was carrying food and essential supplies for Palestinians. The mission was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Foundation, which stated that the ship was unarmed and civilian. Representatives from several countries were onboard, and the foundation warned that lives could have been lost in the attack.