India-Pakistan Tensions Explode with Cross-Border Missile Strikes

In a dramatic military escalation, India launched a series of missile attacks early Wednesday targeting what it described as terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The strikes, announced by the Indian Ministry of Defense, mark one of the most significant military actions in the region in recent years.

Pakistan, however, has dismissed India’s claims, stating the strikes mainly impacted civilians. At least three people, including a child, were reported killed, and over a dozen others were injured, prompting outrage in the country. Pakistan called the strikes an “act of war.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan condemned the strikes and declared that Pakistan would respond accordingly. “This aggression will not go unanswered. A proportional response is underway,” he said in a televised statement.

Kashmir, a disputed region claimed in full by both countries but divided between them, remains a volatile flashpoint. The current crisis follows a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 tourists, mostly Indian citizens.

India has long accused Pakistan of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, a claim Pakistan consistently denies. After the Pahalgam massacre, New Delhi vowed to strike back at those behind the violence. The Indian Ministry of Defense emphasized its retaliatory actions were “precise, restrained, and non-escalatory.”

According to Indian authorities, nine sites were hit in the missile operation, including locations in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Ahmadpur East, and Muridke. Pakistan’s military confirmed the strikes and vowed to choose its time and method for a response. “This provocation will be addressed,” said a military spokesperson.

The strikes triggered alarm globally. Major powers, including the United States, had earlier urged both nations to de-escalate tensions after the Pahalgam incident. India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, have fought three wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

This week’s military operation marks the most serious action since 2019, when India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan after a suicide bombing killed 40 Indian soldiers. The Pahalgam attack renewed pressure on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resulting in a sharp deterioration in diplomatic and economic ties between the neighboring nations.