The exchange of attacks using heavy weapons between the two major military powers, India and Pakistan, has led to the cancellation of some flights and disrupted air traffic in the region. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-capable nations, began exchanging attacks with heavy weapons following India’s ballistic missile strike on Pakistan. In response, Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian warplanes. Due to the ongoing air attacks, Taiwan’s China Airlines and South Korea’s Korean Air have canceled some flights to the region via European routes and rerouted others.
As a result, flight tracking websites show a large number of flights operating in the airspace of Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan’s relevant authorities stated that at the time of India’s air strike, 57 aircraft were flying in Pakistani airspace, putting the lives of hundreds of passengers on those flights at risk.
As tensions continue to escalate between the two countries, airlines traveling to India and Pakistan are canceling flights. Qatar Airways has also temporarily suspended its flights to Pakistan due to the closure of Pakistani airspace. Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have also suspended flights to certain areas. India stated that it launched attacks on nine areas in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor in response to an armed attack on a tourist area in Indian Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. India suspects that the attacks were carried out by terrorists affiliated with Pakistan-backed armed groups.
While India claimed its missile strikes targeted militant positions, Pakistan stated that civilians were killed in these attacks. Pakistan reported that 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the attacks. Videos showing damage to civilian homes and mosques from India’s attacks have been circulating. After the missile strike, the Indian government stated that it had retaliated for the attack on its tourists. The Indian government also said that it prioritized directly attacking militants to defend against potential future attacks, rather than confronting the Pakistani military.
