• Proxy war remains a modern warfare tool: Khawaja Asif.
• He says May conflict raised immediate war concerns.
• Asif says US intervention prevented further escalation.
  

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that the risk of another war with India persists, emphasising that proxy conflicts remain an ongoing threat decades after they began.

“The proxy war has never truly ended; it has intensified in recent years,” said Defence Minister Asif during a talk show on a private television channel.

He explained that the proxy war started in the 1980s and has become a tool of modern warfare. Lahore and Rawalpindi have recently experienced explosions linked to these tensions, he said.

Asif added that the immediate threat of war was high following the May conflict, stating: “After the May engagement, the possibility of another war existed, and that risk has not disappeared.”

Highlighting Pakistan’s defensive successes, he said the United States certified Pakistan’s victory and intervened to prevent further escalation.

In May, the Pakistan Air Force shot down seven Indian aircraft, including Rafales, and destroyed an S-400 defence system.

He concluded by reaffirming that despite these measures, the danger of conflict with India remains a serious concern for Pakistan’s security establishment.

The four-day war between the two nuclear-armed nations was triggered by India’s unlawful missile strikes inside Pakistan, which resulted in the martyrdom of several civilians and security personnel.

Pakistan, in addition to downing multiple Indian fighter jets, then launched a retaliatory strike, targeting over 20 Indian military sites across multiple regions.

The hostilities ended on May 10 after the two countries agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Months after the conflict, a report submitted to the United States Congress acknowledged Pakistan’s military success over India.

The report, submitted by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, noted that Pakistan deployed advanced Chinese weaponry during the conflict to enhance its military edge over India.

The report mentioned the successful use of China’s modern weapons systems in active combat for the first time, including the HQ-9 air-defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10C fighter aircraft.

Jungle Cruise sequel plans have derailed, per lead stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt.

During his appearance on The Awardist podcast for Dwayne’s Oscars 2026 campaign, the Smashing Machine star and his co-star Emily Blunt were asked about the sequel.

“I don’t think so,” replied both.

While the film made $220 million at the global box office right after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, Disney doesn’t wan’t to make the sequel.

“I think when Disney came under new leadership, they just shifted coming out of COVID,” the Jumanji star explained. “COVID shifted our business in a lot of ways. I think they looked at that property and thought, we did it once, not sure if we should revisit it again. Despite whether or not our chemistry was great.”

The Oppenhiemer actress added, “they did not want to set sail again, and that’s fine.”

Disney’s current CEO Bob Iger previously led the company from 2005 to 2020. He was replaced by Bob Chapek from 2020-2022 and then returned to the role.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt have reunited for The Smashing Machine, which is a biopic of MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Johnson plays Mark while Blunt plays his wife Dawn Staples. 

Deborra-Lee Furness has extended her support to Nicole Kidman following her separation from Keith Urban.

Radar Online reported that Furness has lent her shoulder to Kidman after her unexpected breakup from the 58-year-old Australian-American country singer and songwriter.

For those unaware, the 58-year-old Australian-American actress and film producer and Urban announced their separation on September 30, 2025, shortly after the news of their divorce came to light.

The couple met in Los Angeles in 2005, tied the knot in June 2006, welcomed two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, and annulled their marriage in 2025 after 19 years.

Furness, who filed for divorce from Hugh Jackman in May 2025, empathizes with Kidman, as she is aware of the pain of leaving a relationship because of another woman.

An insider told the outlet, “When everything went down between Deb and Hugh, Nicole was careful not to turn her back on her – and now Deb has really stepped up to support her.”

“It makes sense, since Deb was blindsided when Hugh left and felt very alone in the wake of it all. She’s the type to want to save a friend from the same fate.”

“Deb has been holding Nicole’s hand through it all. She validates her and makes her feel less alone. Nicole isn’t going to cut Hugh out of her life, but it’s safe to say that her loyalty is with Deb now,” the source stated.