India launched missile strikes on Pakistani territory early Wednesday, targeting nine alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, in response to a deadly attack on Indian tourists last month. The assault, which left 26 dead, was blamed on the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan’s military confirmed that three sites were hit, including one in Bahawalpur, and vowed retaliation. “We will retaliate at the time of our choosing,” said military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, denouncing the strikes as a “heinous provocation.”
The situation marks a sharp escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors, who have exchanged nightly gunfire since April 24 along the Line of Control. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that terrorists and their backers would be punished.
Global leaders, including Iran’s foreign minister, are seeking to ease tensions. The U.S. urged both sides to de-escalate and work toward regional stability. President Trump said he hopes the fighting “ends very quickly.”
