India Attacks Pakistan

Loud explosions heard in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as India launches missile strikes on Pakistani targets

Islamabad, Pakistan / New Delhi, India — India launched military strikes on Pakistan on Wednesday, marking a dangerous escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan responded by claiming it had shot down at least two Indian Air Force jets, with both sides bracing for further violence.

The missile strikes, which took place early on Wednesday morning, were aimed at what India called “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan’s densely populated Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The attacks come more than two weeks after the massacre of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, an assault that New Delhi has blamed on militants operating from Pakistani soil.

In retaliation, Pakistani forces said they had successfully downed at least two Indian jets, a claim that has yet to be independently confirmed. A Pakistani military spokesperson told CNN that both planes were intercepted while conducting aerial operations over Pakistan’s territory. CNN is awaiting a response from India’s defense ministry for comment on the downing of its aircraft.

The exchange of fire came amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, both of which have fought three wars over the Kashmir region since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. The latest flare-up follows a particularly deadly attack in Kashmir last month, where gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists.

Escalating Conflict

Since the massacre in Kashmir, both nations have been engaging in escalating tit-for-tat measures. India has placed immense pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to act decisively in the face of the attack, with nationalist factions within the country demanding a strong military response.

The strikes on Wednesday mark the first time since 2019 that Indian forces have launched operations deep inside Pakistan, when India targeted multiple locations in retaliation for a suicide bombing that killed over 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in Kashmir.

In a statement, India’s defense ministry described the missile strikes as part of “Operation Sindoor,” claiming they were specifically aimed at targeting terrorist hideouts and infrastructure. “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature,” the statement read, emphasizing that no Pakistani military facilities were struck.

However, Pakistan's military rejected this claim, asserting that the attacks had largely harmed civilians, killing at least three, including a child, and injuring a dozen others. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the strikes “an act of war” and vowed to respond with a “befitting reply.”

"We have the right to defend ourselves, and we will not tolerate such aggression,” Sharif added during a televised address.

Pakistan's military confirmed that five locations were struck in the cities of Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Muridke, the latter two of which are in Punjab, marking the deepest Indian strike on Pakistani soil since the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.

International Concern

Kashmir has long been considered one of the most volatile regions in the world, with both India and Pakistan claiming the entire territory as their own. The situation has drawn international concern, with the United States and other major powers urging restraint.

"We are closely monitoring the situation," a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement. "The potential for a wider conflict in the region is concerning."

The UN Security Council is also expected to convene in the coming days to discuss the escalating situation. Many global leaders have called for calm and urged both sides to return to dialogue, fearing that a full-scale war could have catastrophic consequences, not just for India and Pakistan, but for the entire region.

India-Pakistan Relations Deteriorate

Relations between India and Pakistan have been steadily deteriorating since the massacre in Kashmir. In retaliation, India has taken several punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of a vital water-sharing agreement, the closure of major border crossings, and a recall of its citizens from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has suspended all trade with India, expelled Indian diplomats, and warned that any attempt by India to divert water from shared rivers would be considered an “act of war.”

Both countries have also intensified their military posturing along the Line of Control (LOC) — the de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir region. Small exchanges of gunfire and shelling have been reported in the past few days, and both nations have closed their airspace to each other’s commercial flights.

The Road Ahead

As of now, there are no signs that the situation will de-escalate anytime soon. In fact, experts warn that the likelihood of further violence remains high, with both India and Pakistan continuing to make aggressive moves in the region.

“The situation is highly volatile. There is a real risk of a wider conflict if both sides do not take immediate steps to reduce tensions,” said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Wilson Center.

As the world holds its breath, the international community continues to urge both New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint and seek diplomatic solutions before the situation spirals further out of control.