Washington: President Donald Trump has made a significant assertion regarding the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, stating that at least five aircraft were shot down during the conflict in May. Trump emphasized that it was the United States that intervened to "stop the war" between the two nuclear-armed countries.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump, during a dinner meeting with Republican lawmakers at the White House, mentioned that "planes were being shot out of the air" and specifically noted that he believed five jets were downed. However, he did not indicate whether the lost aircraft belonged to India or Pakistan.

This statement marks the first occasion where a leader from a third country has confirmed the downing of planes during the four-day skirmish. Pakistan has claimed responsibility for shooting down six Indian planes, including three French-made Rafales, in response to India's cross-border airstrikes on May 7. Meanwhile, India's chief of defense staff, Gen. Anil Chauhan, acknowledged that some Indian aircraft were lost but did not provide specific details on the numbers, instead focusing on the reasons behind the losses.

Trump further explained that the conflict was escalating and expressed that it was resolved through trade negotiations. He recounted telling both nations, "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." He reiterated that the US played a crucial role in preventing further escalation and claimed that Washington had brokered a ceasefire, a stance that India disputes, maintaining that there was no US mediation involved.

The conflict reportedly ignited following an attack on April 22 at the Pahalgam tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir. India attributed the attack to Pakistan, which denied any involvement and suggested a neutral investigation. Following retaliatory actions between the two nations, Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10.