India has carried out missile attacks on Pakistan, making the situation between the two nuclear-armed countries much more serious.
India says it hit “terrorist camps” in Pakistan and in the part of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan early Wednesday morning. But Pakistan says the strikes mostly hurt regular people. At least three people, including a child, died, and at least twelve others were injured.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, called the attack an “act of war” and said his country will respond strongly.
Kashmir is a very dangerous region, with both India and Pakistan claiming full control, although each only controls part of it.
Tensions have gotten worse in the last few weeks after gunmen killed 26 people—mostly Indian tourists—at a popular tourist place in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India blames Pakistan for supporting militant groups that carry out such attacks, which Pakistan denies. India had promised to strike back after the attack.
India’s Ministry of Defense said the missile strikes were a response to the killing of 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali tourist in Pahalgam last month.
The ministry also said that the strikes were carefully planned to avoid worsening the situation. They said only terrorist sites were hit—not any Pakistani army buildings.
India says it targeted nine locations in total.
Loud blasts were heard in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, according to a DNAPakistan reporter. Pakistan’s military confirmed India used missiles and said they will respond “at a time and place of their choosing.”
Pakistani military sources told DNAPakistan that five locations were hit: Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Muridke. Three of those are in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, while the other two are in Punjab province.
Pakistani officials said only civilians—not militants—were harmed in the strikes.
