logo
Trump says five jets shot down during India-Pakistan conflict in May

Trump says five jets shot down during India-Pakistan conflict in May

Saudi Gazette6 days ago
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that at least five fighter jets were shot down during the latest round of hostilities between India and Pakistan in May, and insisted that it was the United States that 'stopped the war' between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
'Planes were being shot out of the air ... I think five jets were shot down, actually,' Trump said during a dinner meeting with Republican lawmakers at the White House on Friday night. He did not clarify whether the jets were Indian or Pakistani.
This marks the first time a head of state from a third country has confirmed the downing of jets in the four-day conflict that erupted in early May.
The fighting followed the April 22 bombing at the Pahalgam tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad denied the accusation and called for a neutral probe.
Pakistan has claimed responsibility for shooting down six Indian aircraft, including three French-made Rafale fighter jets, during India's cross-border airstrikes on May 7.
India has not confirmed those figures, though Gen. Anil Chauhan, India's chief of defense staff, later acknowledged that some aircraft were lost. 'What is important is not the jet being down, but why they were down,' Chauhan said at the time.Trump said the escalation was 'getting bigger and bigger,' but was ultimately 'solved through trade,' describing how Washington leveraged ongoing trade negotiations to pressure both sides into restraint.'We said, you guys want to make a trade deal. We're not making a trade deal if you're going to be throwing around weapons, and maybe nuclear weapons—both very powerful nuclear states,' Trump said.'We stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious,' he added, referencing repeated claims he has made about U.S. mediation efforts in South Asia.The May conflict marked one of the most dangerous flare-ups between India and Pakistan in recent years, with cross-border strikes, high-altitude dogfights, and mounting fears of a broader military confrontation. — Agencies
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US says it rejects Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state
US says it rejects Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state

Arab News

timean hour ago

  • Arab News

US says it rejects Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state, with the top American diplomat calling it a 'reckless decision.' Macron said on Thursday that France intends to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, adding that he hoped it would help bring peace to the Middle East. 'This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace,' Rubio said in a post on X. Washington's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said in June he did not think an independent Palestinian state remained a US foreign policy goal.

Saudi Arabia welcomes France's move to recognize State of Palestine
Saudi Arabia welcomes France's move to recognize State of Palestine

Saudi Gazette

time3 hours ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Saudi Arabia welcomes France's move to recognize State of Palestine

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement of France's intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine, describing the move as a 'historic decision' that reinforces international support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. In a statement issued Thursday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised France's position as a reaffirmation of global consensus on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Kingdom said the move aligns with international law and United Nations resolutions, calling for a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue. 'The Kingdom underscores the importance of continued efforts by states to implement international resolutions and uphold international law,' the statement read, emphasizing the diplomatic weight of Macron's pledge. Riyadh also renewed its longstanding call for countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so, urging the international community to take serious and effective steps to advance peace and support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. President Macron announced on Thursday that France would recognize the State of Palestine during the UN General Assembly session in September. 'Faithful to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,' he wrote on X. He underscored the urgency of halting hostilities in Gaza, securing the release of hostages, and delivering large-scale humanitarian aid to civilians. Macron also called for the demilitarization of Hamas and a plan to rebuild Gaza. 'The goal must be to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it—by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel—to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,' he said. 'There is no alternative,' Macron added, stressing the French people's desire for peace and calling for a joint effort among Israelis, Palestinians, and international partners to make it a reality. In a letter to the Palestinian Authority president, Macron affirmed France's commitment to peace, citing mutual trust and clear intentions. 'Trust, clarity, and commitment. We will achieve peace,' he concluded.

Trump presses US central Bank chief to cut rates during tense visit
Trump presses US central Bank chief to cut rates during tense visit

Arab News

time3 hours ago

  • Arab News

Trump presses US central Bank chief to cut rates during tense visit

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump locked horns with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during a rare presidential visit to the US central bank on Thursday, criticizing the cost of renovating two historical buildings at its headquarters and pressing the case for lower interest rates. Trump, who called Powell a 'numbskull' earlier this week for failing to heed the White House's demand for a large reduction in borrowing costs, wrapped up his visit to the Fed's $2.5 billion building project in Washington by saying he did not intend to fire Powell, as he has frequently suggested he would. 'To do so is a big move and I just don't think it's necessary,' Trump told reporters after the visit. In a post on his Truth Social media site, Trump later said of the renovation, 'it is what it is and, hopefully, it will be finished ASAP. The cost overruns are substantial but, on the positive side, our Country is doing very well and can afford just about anything.' The visibly tense interaction at the Fed's massive construction site marked an escalation of White House pressure on the central bank and Trump's efforts to get Powell to 'do the right thing' on rates. It happened less than a week before the central bank's 19 policymakers are due to gather for a two-day rate-setting meeting, where they are widely expected to leave their benchmark interest rate in the 4.25 percent-4.50 percent range. The president has repeatedly demanded Powell slash rates by 3 percentage points or more. 'I'd love him to lower interest rates,' Trump said as he wrapped up the tour, as Powell stood by, his face expressionless. Powell typically spends the Thursday afternoon before a rate-setting meeting doing back-to-back calls with Fed bank presidents as part of his preparations for the session. The encounter between the two men became heated as Trump told reporters the project was now estimated to cost $3.1 billion. 'I am not aware of that,' Powell said, shaking his head. Trump handed him a piece of paper, which Powell examined. 'You just added in a third building,' the Fed chief said, noting that the Martin Building had been completed five years ago. White House budget director Russell Vought and Trump's deputy chief of staff, James Blair, who have spearheaded criticism of the renovation as overly costly and ostentatious, later told reporters they still have questions about the project. The two men, who joined Trump during the visit, have suggested poor oversight and potential fraud in connection with it. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, a Republican who sent Powell a letter on Wednesday demanding answers to his own questions about the renovation, also took part in the visit. Elevated by Trump to the top Fed job in 2018 and then reappointed by former President Joe Biden four years later, Powell last met with the current president in March when Trump summoned him to the White House to press him to lower rates. The visit on Thursday took place as Trump battles to deflect attention from a political crisis over his administration's refusal to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reversing a campaign promise. Epstein died in 2019. The Fed, in letters to Vought and lawmakers backed up by documents posted on its website, said the project — the first full rehab of the two buildings since they were built nearly a century ago — ran into unexpected challenges including toxic materials abatement and higher-than-estimated costs for materials and labor. Speaking outside of the construction site, Trump said there was 'no tension' at his meeting with Powell and that they had a productive conversation about rates. Fed independence Ahead of Trump's visit, Fed staff escorted a small group of reporters around the two construction sites. They wove around cement mixers and construction machines, and spoke over the sound of drills, banging, and saws. Fed staff pointed out security features, including blast-resistant windows, that they said were a significant driver of costs in addition to tariffs and escalations in material and labor costs. The project started in mid-2022 and is on track to be completed by 2027, with the move-in planned for March of 2028. A visit to the roof of the Eccles Building, a point of particular scrutiny by critics like Scott, who has complained about 'rooftop garden terraces,' revealed an impressive view of the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, according to the pool report. Staff explained that rooftop seating, although inexpensive, had been removed because of the appearance of it being an amenity and was one of only two deviations from the original plan. The other was the scrapping of a couple of planned fountains. Market reaction to Trump's visit was subdued. The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury bonds ticked higher after data showed new jobless claims dropped in the most recent week, signaling a stable labor market not in need of support from a Fed rate cut. The S&P 500 equities index closed largely flat on the day. Trump's criticism of Powell and flirtation with firing him have previously upset financial markets and threatened a key underpinning of the global financial system — that central banks are independent and free from political meddling. His trip contrasts with a handful of other documented presidential visits to the Fed. Then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited the central bank in 1937 to dedicate the newly-built headquarters, one of the two buildings now being renovated. Most recently, former President George W. Bush went there in 2006 to attend the swearing-in of Ben Bernanke as Fed chief.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store