India launches military strikes on Pakistan after Kashmir tourist killings

India targets militant camps across the border in response to Kashmir attack, escalating tensions with Pakistan amid fears of wider conflict.

Local residents inspect a building damaged by a suspected Indian missile strike near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Photo by M.D. Mughal/AP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

India said on Wednesday that it had carried out targeted military strikes on nine locations inside Pakistan, intensifying the already fragile relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The strikes, which India described as retaliation for a deadly April attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir, have drawn global concern as diplomatic avenues to de-escalate tensions rapidly narrow.

The Indian military stated that it had hit locations used by militants to launch attacks against Indian interests, adding that the operation was part of a broader promise to hold the perpetrators of the Kashmir attack accountable. "We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable," said a statement from India’s defense ministry. The Indian army posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Justice is served.”

This latest escalation comes in response to a brutal April 22 assault, when gunmen stormed a tourist site in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing 26 people—most of them Indian nationals. Indian authorities blamed Pakistan-linked militants for the attack and vowed a stern response.

Pakistan confirms casualties, shoots down Indian aircraft

In Pakistan, officials confirmed the Indian strikes had killed at least eight people and injured 35 others. Pakistani army spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry provided these figures as part of the government's preliminary casualty report.

Pakistan’s defense minister told a local television channel that the country's military had responded by shooting down five Indian aircraft. While this claim could not be independently verified, India’s foreign ministry declined to comment on the matter.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Indian strikes in a statement, saying, “We will not let the enemy succeed in its condemnable objectives.” He confirmed that five sites were hit and promised a strong national response.

Modi government takes hardline stance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently facing increasing nationalist pressure ahead of India’s general elections, had earlier pledged to hunt down those responsible for the Kashmir killings “to the ends of the earth.” That statement has now manifested in real military action, further raising the stakes in South Asia.

India’s defense actions come despite recent diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made phone calls to leaders in both countries, urging them to avoid military confrontation. “I echo @POTUS’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution,” Rubio wrote on X.

Cease-fire in peril, both sides blame each other

Since the Kashmir attack, there have been multiple exchanges of small-arms fire across the Line of Control—the de facto border in the disputed region. The gunfire threatened to unravel the 2021 cease-fire agreement, already strained after years of low-level skirmishes.

India has publicly accused Pakistan of harboring and supporting the militants behind the attack. Police in Indian-administered Kashmir released sketches of three suspects—one identified as a local militant and two as Pakistani nationals—offering a bounty of $24,000 each. However, no hard evidence was presented to the public.

In turn, Pakistan denied any involvement in the April massacre and instead accused India of sponsoring terrorism within Pakistani borders—an allegation India strongly denies.

History of conflict and fear of escalation

India and Pakistan have fought three full-scale wars, primarily over Kashmir, a region claimed in full by both countries but administered separately. The last major conflict occurred in 2019 when a suicide bombing in Pulwama killed 40 Indian paramilitary officers. India retaliated with airstrikes deep into Pakistani territory, prompting Pakistan to shoot down an Indian fighter jet and capture its pilot.

Although tensions cooled after the pilot’s release, Modi’s government later revoked Kashmir’s special constitutional status, tightening its control and fueling further unrest.

Now, nearly six years later, the two nations are once again approaching a critical flashpoint. Analysts warn that the current situation could escalate quickly into broader conflict. “You open Pandora’s box,” said Ashley Tellis, a South Asia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Pakistan may feel pressure to retaliate

Former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, warned that Islamabad could feel compelled to retaliate with its own strikes. “Depending on what Pakistan targets and the resulting casualties, India could either choose to escalate further or let the situation de-escalate,” he said. “Do we get into a cycle of retaliation for retaliation? If that happens, then we are in for huge trouble.”

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, attempted to strike a cautious tone, stating, “Pakistan will not be the first to resort to any escalatory move. However, in case of any escalatory move by the Indian side, we will respond very strongly.”

Strategic complications and regional dynamics

India's military is already stretched thin along its Himalayan border with China, where tensions have remained high since a deadly 2020 clash. With China serving as Pakistan’s top weapons supplier and strategic ally, any escalation in South Asia must consider the broader implications involving Beijing.

“That Pakistan-China nexus must be on the minds of Indian decision makers as well,” said Asfandyar Mir, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center.

Beyond the battlefield: diplomatic and economic fallout

In the days following the Kashmir massacre, India has taken multiple diplomatic and economic steps against Pakistan. It suspended a decades-old water-sharing treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960, a pact that has survived two wars. Though implementing significant water restrictions would take years, the move signals a breakdown in even minimal cooperation.

“Short of war, this is the worst stage for two countries,” said Haqqani.

Airspace closures have already taken effect, with Pakistan barring Indian airlines and India reciprocating. Indian authorities also ordered Pakistani nationals living in India to return home and significantly reduced the staffing allowed at Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi.

Crackdown within Kashmir continues

Inside Indian-administered Kashmir, security forces have demolished the homes of suspected militants and detained hundreds for questioning in the wake of the April attack. The crackdown echoes previous Indian security measures in the restive region following attacks blamed on Pakistan-based groups.

Meanwhile, Pakistani officials reported that an Indian border guard accidentally crossed into their territory and has been detained. The situation adds another layer of complication to an already volatile situation.