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India has launched air strikes towards 9 websites in Pakistan, bringing the 2 nuclear-armed neighbours into open navy battle over final month’s lethal militant assault on vacationers in Indian-administered Kashmir.
India mentioned it had carried out “precision strikes” on “terrorist infrastructure” in what gave the impression to be essentially the most in depth navy assault on its neighbour in a long time.
Whereas India’s defence ministry didn’t specify the places of the strikes, it mentioned it was “hitting terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and the a part of the disputed area of Kashmir that Pakistan administers. Each international locations declare Kashmir and every controls a part of the area.
The ministry added that “no Pakistani navy amenities have been focused” in its first strike on its neighbour since 2019 and mentioned India’s assaults have been “targeted, measured and non-escalatory in nature”.
ANI, an Indian information company near the nation’s authorities, mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been always monitoring the operation via the evening, and that the strikes on the 9 targets had been “profitable”.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed India’s strikes an “act of conflict” and mentioned on the X social media platform that his nation had “each proper to reply forcefully . . . and a robust response is certainly being given”.
Pakistan’s navy spokesman mentioned that India had launched 24 strikes at six areas throughout the nation. At the very least eight folks, together with 5 civilians, had been killed and 35 folks had been injured, he mentioned, including that two youngsters aged three and 16 have been among the many lifeless.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesman, additionally advised Reuters on Wednesday morning that Pakistan downed 5 Indian fighter jets, together with three French-made Rafales, one Russian-made SU-30 and a Russian-made MiG-29. State broadcaster PTV reported that Pakistani artillery was firing in the direction of Indian-administered Kashmir.
The battle between the 2 neighbours got here to a boil final month after gunmen killed 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen in Pahalgam, a vacationer spot in Indian-administered Kashmir. Modi responded by vowing to “discover, monitor and punish each terrorist” chargeable for the assault, which shocked and angered Indians.
Police in Kashmir have mentioned they have been in search of three males, together with two Pakistani residents, in reference to the assault, and linked them to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group chargeable for the Mumbai terror assaults of 2008. Pakistan has denied any involvement within the assault in Kashmir and has known as for an impartial investigation.
In response to the Pahalgam assault, India suspended a key treaty underneath which it shares water with Pakistan within the Indus river basin, and the 2 international locations sharply downgraded their relations, closing airspace and ports, suspending commerce and shutting their land border.
India has known as Wednesday’s assault on Pakistan “Operation Sindoor”, a reference to the purple mark Hindu ladies put on of their hair parting, the standard Hindu image of marriage. An image of a honeymooning couple attacked in Pahalgam, with the spouse kneeling by the physique of her husband, was extensively shared in India after the assault.
Indians have been bracing themselves for a probable Pakistani navy response. On Tuesday, earlier than the in a single day strikes, India’s dwelling ministry ordered a nationwide mock drill for emergency preparedness and civil defence.
Sharif, Pakistan’s chief, has known as a nationwide safety committee assembly for Wednesday morning. Pakistan has closed its airspace and shut colleges within the a part of Kashmir it administers, within the capital Islamabad, and all through Punjab, a province of greater than 120mn folks.
“There might be retaliation of some sort by Pakistan within the coming hours,” mentioned C Raja Mohan, an Indian worldwide affairs analyst. “Within the meantime, there’s diplomacy occurring behind the scenes and the US might be concerned at some stage.”
Washington, which has shut ties with each India and Pakistan, has urged restraint. US President Donald Trump known as the strikes “a disgrace” and mentioned he hoped the battle “ends very quickly”.
