India Launches Strikes in Pakistan-Controlled Territory Following Kashmir Attack; Pakistan Vows Response By The Media Line Staff India launched missile strikes early Wednesday on multiple sites in Pakistan-controlled territory, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following a deadly gun attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 dead. The Indian government said its […]
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The Media Line: India Launches Strikes in Pakistan-Controlled Territory Following Kashmir Attack; Pakistan Vows Response
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India Launches Strikes in Pakistan-Controlled Territory Following Kashmir Attack; Pakistan Vows Response
By The Media Line Staff
India launched missile strikes early Wednesday on multiple sites in Pakistan-controlled territory, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following a deadly gun attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 dead. The Indian government said its military targeted nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as part of “Operation Sindoor,” which it described as a measured response to “terrorist infrastructure” linked to the attack. Pakistan rejected the claim, calling the strikes unprovoked aggression against civilians.
The strikes, reportedly launched from Indian airspace, hit areas including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bagh, Ahmedpur East, and Muridke, according to Pakistan’s military. Pakistani officials said at least three civilians were killed, including a child, and more than a dozen were injured. Witnesses reported hearing multiple explosions and widespread power outages in the Pakistani-controlled city of Muzaffarabad.
The attacks came just over a week after suspected gunmen killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali tourist at a scenic site near Pahalgam. India blamed Pakistan-based groups for orchestrating the massacre, a charge Islamabad denies. A little-known group called the Kashmir Resistance claimed responsibility, but Indian officials insisted the attackers received cross-border support.
Pakistan’s military said it would respond “at a time and place of its own choosing.” On Thursday, Pakistan said it shot down two Indian jets and placed its air force on high alert. Flights were suspended across the country, and all civilian aircraft were redirected to Karachi.
The Indian military stated that it deliberately avoided Pakistani military targets to prevent escalation. “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature,” said a statement from India’s Ministry of Defense, adding that “justice is served” for the Pahalgam attack.
The United States and other world powers have expressed concern over the potential for renewed conflict. President Donald Trump told reporters, “It’s a shame. … I just hope it ends very quickly.” Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars—two of them over Kashmir. The Line of Control (LOC) that separates the Indian- and Pakistani-held parts of the region remains one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints.
Recent diplomatic and military escalations have deepened the standoff. India recalled its diplomats, suspended trade with Pakistan, closed a border crossing, and paused participation in a long-standing water-sharing treaty. Pakistan retaliated by expelling Indian envoys and threatening to consider any interference with its water rights an “act of war.”
As both sides brace for potential further conflict, the situation remains fragile, with heavy military deployment on both sides of the LOC and an atmosphere of nationalistic fervor growing in both countries.