India launched missile strikes on Pakistani territory, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 individuals, according to reports from Pakistan, which indicated a significant retaliation amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed nations.
The Indian government stated that it executed “precision strikes at terrorist camps” targeting nine locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, just days after attributing a deadly attack on the Indian-administered side of the disputed region to Islamabad.
Following the strikes, the Indian army shared a video on X declaring that “justice is served,” asserting that its operations were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature.”
Pakistan reported that the strikes resulted in 26 civilian fatalities, impacting at least six sites.
An official accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of initiating the strikes to “shore up” his domestic approval ratings.
A flare illuminated the sky over the hills near the main town of Poonch district.
Earlier, Pakistan’s military reported that three areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir were struck, along with two locations—Bahawalpur and Muridke—in Punjab, the country’s most populous province.
Shortly thereafter, India alleged that Pakistan had fired artillery across the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border in Kashmir—a sound that was audible to journalists in the region.
India was anticipated to respond militarily to the attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which it attributed to militants from the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN.
This assault resulted in the deaths of 26 people, predominantly Hindu men, in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam. No group has yet claimed responsibility.
A mosque was destroyed in the Indian strikes on Pakistani Kashmir.
India has accused Pakistan of facilitating the attack, leading to a series of aggressive threats and reciprocal diplomatic measures.
Pakistan denies these accusations, and gunfire has been exchanged nightly along the LoC since April 24, according to the Indian army.
Pakistan also announced that it has conducted two missile tests.
‘Maximum restraint’
The strikes represent a dangerous escalation of tensions between the South Asian neighbors, who have engaged in multiple wars since their independence from British rule in 1947.
For several days, the global community has urged both Pakistan and India to de-escalate and avoid war.
Security personnel have cordoned off streets near the site of a strike in the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” stated spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, emphasizing that Mr. Guterres has called for “maximum restraint.”
In response to the strikes, US President Donald Trump expressed hope that the conflict “ends very quickly.”
India’s embassy in Washington indicated that the country’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, briefed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following the strikes.
Explosions were reported near the Line of Control.
The Indian army claimed it has “demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and methods of execution,” noting that “no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Indian attack as “unprovoked” and “cowardly,” asserting that the “heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished.”
Indian fighter jets could be heard soaring over Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir.
Significant explosions were also reported in the town of Poonch, located just 16km from the LoC.
Rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir have been engaged in an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or unification with Pakistan.
India routinely accuses its neighbor of supporting armed groups fighting its forces in Kashmir—an allegation that Islamabad refutes.
India was scheduled to conduct several civil defense drills, while local government officials in Pakistan’s Punjab confirmed that schools were closed.
China expressed regret and concern over the strikes, urging both nations to act with restraint in light of the significant escalation.
“We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritize peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, and to avoid actions that could exacerbate the situation,” a spokesperson for Beijing’s foreign ministry stated.
The strikes occurred mere hours after Mr. Modi stated that India would halt water flowing across its borders. Pakistan had warned that interfering with the rivers flowing from India into its territory would constitute an “act of war.”
While Mr. Modi did not specify Pakistan in his remarks, his statement followed India’s suspension of its obligations under the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, which governs critical water resources for Pakistan essential for consumption and agriculture.
“India’s water used to leave the country; now it will remain for India,” Modi asserted in a speech given in New Delhi.
