India launches airstrikes on Pakistan over deadly Kashmir attack

NEW DELHI,— India carried out airstrikes on Pakistani territory and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday, marking the most severe military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in more than 20 years.

Pakistan’s military said its forces shot down five Indian fighter jets in response to the attacks, though India has not confirmed those claims.

According to Islamabad, six locations were hit by Indian missiles, leaving eight people dead, 35 injured, and two missing.

India’s defense ministry stated it had targeted nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites, including facilities connected to the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba militant groups.

These groups were linked to last month’s deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 people, an Indian defense source told Reuters.

“India has shown considerable restraint in both the selection of targets and the execution of this operation,” the Indian defense ministry said in an official statement.

Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, described the strikes as an “act of aggression” and a “blatant act of war.”

Chaudhry told reporters all military measures were taken in defense of Pakistan’s sovereignty, and Islamabad has informed the United Nations Security Council that it reserves the right to respond to Indian aggression as needed.

Heavy artillery fire and shelling erupted along the Line of Control in Kashmir, the de facto border between India and Pakistan, according to local police and witnesses. Both countries have long claimed the Muslim-majority Himalayan region, fighting two wars over it since 1947.

While the two sides recommitted to a ceasefire agreement in 2021, cross-border strikes are rare, particularly by India on targets beyond Pakistani Kashmir.

Indian officials labeled the military operation “Operation Sindoor.” Analysts noted the significant scale of the attack raised the risk of escalation between the rival nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump called the situation “a shame” and expressed hope for a swift resolution. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both countries to exercise “maximum military restraint,” his spokesperson said.

Indian media aired footage of explosions and large smoke plumes over Pakistani territory. Crowds were seen fleeing affected areas.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country was responding to the Indian attacks, though he did not provide further details. Punjab province, the country’s most populous, declared an emergency, placing hospitals and emergency responders on high alert.

According to Pakistan’s defense minister, two mosques were among the buildings hit by Indian strikes, and all targeted sites were civilian, not militant.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Army stated, “Justice is served,” following the strikes.

Indian stock futures showed mild losses after news of the attacks, with the GIFT NIFTY index trading 0.3% lower than the NIFTY 50’s previous close. Several airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Qatar Airways, canceled flights over Indian and Pakistani airspace due to airport closures.

An Indian embassy spokesperson in Washington told Reuters that evidence pointed to the involvement of Pakistan-based militants in the April tourist killings.

India named two Pakistani nationals as suspects but has not released further evidence. Pakistan denies any role in the incident.

Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reportedly spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Indian officials briefed counterparts in Britain, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, according to Indian sources.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington, told Reuters, “Given the scale of this strike, we can expect a sizable Pakistani response. The next moves from both countries will show just how serious this crisis could become.”

(With files from Reuters)