Indian missiles kill at least two dozen in Pakistan

Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, attacking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied ground in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government claimed the targets were terrorist sites where attacks against India were being planned.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the strikes an act of war and promised retaliation. Pakistani authorities said the strikes targeted civilian areas, and its military officials said at least 26 people died and 46 were wounded, according to Reuters. Pakistan’s Air Force said it shot down five Indian warplanes. The Indian army said at least 10 Indian civilians died as Pakistan shelled an area near the two countries’ border with heavy artillery, the BBC reported.

What prompted the attack? India’s defense ministry said the strikes were retaliation for a terror attack in India-controlled Kashmir late last month. The Islamist militants were members of the Pakistan-based terrorist group The Resistance Front and killed 26 civilians. Pakistan has denied any affiliation with the group.

What have international leaders said? United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged India and Pakistan to show restraint and open communications to find a diplomatic end to the conflict. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed the sentiment and called on both sides to protect civilians. The senior member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Congressman Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said in a statement that the two countries should avoid escalation, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and President Donald Trump were willing to engage with leaders in both countries to find a resolution. 

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report for background on mounting tensions between the countries.