INDIA launched missile strikes into Pakistan-controlled territory early Wednesday, killing at least 26 people, including a child, in an operation it says targeted militant infrastructure linked to last month’s deadly attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir.
Pakistan denounced the strikes as an “act of war,” summoning India’s chargé d’affaires to protest what it called “unprovoked Indian strikes at multiple locations” across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
AP reported India saying its military action was aimed solely at eliminating terrorist threats.
"India has demonstrated considerable restraint in its response," said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. "However, it must be said that the Indian armed forces are fully prepared to respond to Pakistani misadventures if any that will escalate the situation."
The Indian army said missile strikes began at 1:05 a.m. and lasted 25 minutes. No military installations were targeted, said Col. Sofiya Qureshi, adding the operation was meant "to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families."
In response, Pakistan claimed it shot down several Indian fighter jets, with two crashing into villages on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Indian officials reported that seven civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling in the aftermath.
The situation marks a dangerous escalation in the already volatile relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbors, which have fought multiple wars and skirmishes over the disputed region of Kashmir.
India blames Pakistan for harboring militants responsible for last month's massacre of 26 Indian Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, a claim Islamabad has firmly denied.
Meanwhile, Russia has urged calm and dialogue, expressing concern over the mounting tensions.
“We are deeply concerned about the escalation of military confrontation between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack near Pahalgam,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
“Russia strongly condemns acts of terrorism, opposes any manifestation of terrorism, and emphasizes the need to unite the entire international community to effectively combat this evil,” she added.
“We call on the parties involved to exercise restraint… We hope that differences between New Delhi and Islamabad will be resolved peacefully, through political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis.”
In anticipation of further escalation, several Indian states have begun large-scale security drills involving air raid sirens, blackout preparedness, evacuation protocols, and civil defense training. India’s home ministry had announced the drills on Monday as part of precautionary measures.
The airstrikes are the latest flashpoint in an already fragile region, following last month’s attack that India squarely blamed on Pakistan-based militant groups.
Since then, both countries have expelled diplomats, closed border crossings, and shut their airspace to each other. - May 7, 2025
