New Delhi, MINA – India confirmed on Tuesday night that it launched missile strikes on Pakistani cities and parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering a serious military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, Anadolu Agency reported.
Explosions were reported in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, Muzaffarabad, and Kotli. Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the attacks killed at least eight people and injured 35 others. He added that Pakistan had begun retaliatory strikes and downed five Indian Air Force jets.
India’s Defense Ministry said the strikes, part of “Operation Sindoor,” targeted nine alleged terrorist infrastructure sites. The ministry insisted the strikes were “measured and non-escalatory,” claiming no Pakistani military facilities were targeted.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes as a “cowardly attack” and vowed a “befitting reply” to what he called an “act of war.” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the air force had shot down at least five Indian jets.
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The escalation follows a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 people dead. India blamed Pakistan, which denies involvement.
Air traffic has slowed across both countries amid fears of further conflict. The United Nations and U.S. President Donald Trump have urged both sides to show restraint.
Trump described the conflict as “a shame,” while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “maximum military restraint,” warning the world could not afford a war between the two nations. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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