Pakistan: India Retaliates Over Tourist Deaths In Kashmir
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers stand guard at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post on the outskirts of Amritsar on April 24, 2025. At least 26 people were killed April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir when gunmen opened fire on tourists, security sources told AFP, in the insurgency-hit region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. (Photo by Narinder NANU / AFP) (Photo by NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, India launched an assault on Pakistan and its territory in Kashmir, prompting a strong response from Pakistan, which claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets. This marked the most intense confrontation between the two nuclear-capable nations in over twenty years.
India announced that it had targeted nine strategic sites in Pakistan, allegedly linked to “terrorist infrastructure,” some of which were said to be connected to a deadly assault on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month, where 26 lives were lost. In contrast, Pakistan reported that six of its locations had been hit, with eight casualties confirmed.

An Indian defense source, speaking to Reuters, revealed that the airstrikes specifically targeted the headquarters of militant organizations Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The Indian Ministry of Defense asserted that the strikes were carried out with “remarkable restraint,” carefully selecting targets and minimizing collateral damage in the execution of the operation.

On the other hand, Pakistan claimed that Indian missiles had struck three key sites, and a military spokesperson maintained that five Indian aircraft were downed—a claim that India has yet to confirm or comment on.

“All of these engagements have been done as a defensive measure,” military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said. “Pakistan remains a very responsible state. However, we will take all the steps necessary for defending the honour, integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan, at all cost.”
Islamabad called the assault a “blatant act of war” and said it had informed the U.N. Security Council that Pakistan reserved the right to respond appropriately to Indian aggression.

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In a dramatic escalation, India and Pakistan, both armed with nuclear capabilities, exchanged heavy artillery and gunfire along their contested border in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, according to police sources and eyewitnesses who spoke to Reuters.

Since their first conflict in 1947, the two South Asian nations have fought multiple wars over the region of Kashmir, a Muslim-majority area claimed in full by both countries but controlled in parts.

Though a ceasefire was agreed upon in 2003, with both countries reaffirming their commitment in 2021, direct military strikes between the two powers have been a rare occurrence, particularly Indian attacks on Pakistani territories outside of the disputed Kashmir region. Nevertheless, experts suggest that the risk of further conflict has surged due to the scale of India’s recent offensive, which has been officially named “Operation Sindoor” by New Delhi.

U.S. President Donald Trump described the situation as “a shame” and expressed hope for a swift de-escalation. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the utmost restraint from both nations, with a spokesperson urging both sides to avoid further military actions.