Missile Strikes Deepen India-Pakistan Standoff Over Kashmir

India conducted missile strikes early Wednesday on sites within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in what it said was retaliation against terrorist networks behind a recent massacre in Kashmir. The Indian government claimed the operations were aimed at neutralizing militant infrastructure.

In response, Pakistan denied that any terror camps were hit, asserting instead that the attacks had resulted in civilian casualties. At least three people, including a child, were reportedly killed, and multiple others wounded. Islamabad condemned the strike as unwarranted aggression.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reacted strongly, labeling the missile attack an act of war. “Pakistan reserves the right to respond in kind. A decisive reply is being given,” he declared during a press address. Pakistani military sources confirmed five areas had been hit.

The missile strikes follow a violent attack last month in Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, were gunned down. That event intensified tensions in the already fraught Kashmir region, a territory both nations claim entirely but control in parts.

India has long blamed Pakistan for backing terrorist groups that cross the Line of Control to conduct attacks. Islamabad denies these charges but has faced repeated calls to crack down on militancy. India stated its recent action was carefully executed to avoid targeting military installations.

Among the nine sites struck were Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bagh in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as well as Ahmadpur East and Muridke in Punjab. Pakistan’s military acknowledged the strikes but said it would respond at a time of its choosing. “Such provocations cannot go unanswered,” a spokesperson emphasized.

The international community, including the U.S., has urged both sides to de-escalate. The fear is that another war—especially between two nuclear-armed nations—could spiral out of control. Since independence from British rule, India and Pakistan have fought three wars, mostly over Kashmir.

Wednesday’s strikes represent the most serious flare-up since the 2019 Pulwama incident. As in that case, New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam massacre. In the aftermath, both countries have taken hardline diplomatic and economic measures, closing borders and suspending key agreements.