India Strikes Deep Inside Pakistan, Tensions Explode as Jets Shot Down

In a major escalation between long-time rivals India and Pakistan, both countries have confirmed military strikes and rising cross-border hostilities. India carried out airstrikes early Wednesday, targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan, including locations in densely populated Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

According to India’s defense ministry, the operation was a direct response to last month’s brutal killing of 26 civilians — mostly Indian tourists — in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, an attack New Delhi blames on Pakistan-based militants. Officials described the strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” claiming they avoided hitting any Pakistani military facilities.

Pakistan, however, says the Indian attack killed at least three civilians, including a child, and injured over a dozen more. In retaliation, Pakistani forces claim they shot down two Indian fighter jets. Explosions were heard on both sides of the border, with reports of shelling and gunfire exchanges continuing throughout the day.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the Indian airstrikes an “act of war” and said Pakistan was delivering a strong response. Pakistani military sources said the Indian strikes hit five areas: Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Muridke — with the latter two being deeper inside Pakistani territory than any previous Indian operation since the 1971 war.

The Indian military said nine targets were struck, while a short statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) from the Indian Army read: “Justice is served. Jai Hind.”

This marks the first time since 2019 that India has launched strikes inside Pakistan. That year, Indian fighter jets bombed Balakot in retaliation for a suicide attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers.

In the wake of the fresh escalation, India has reportedly briefed top officials from the United States, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Russia on its military actions. Meanwhile, Washington said it is “closely monitoring” the situation, urging both sides to show restraint.

Tensions have been running high ever since the massacre in Pahalgam, with both nations taking aggressive diplomatic and military steps. India has ordered its citizens to return from Pakistan, suspended part of a decades-old water treaty, and shut a key border crossing. Pakistan, in response, expelled Indian diplomats, halted trade, and warned that any attempt to divert water would be considered an act of war.

Both countries have closed their airspace to each other’s airlines and have been exchanging fire across the Line of Control (LoC) — the de facto border in the contested region of Kashmir.

Kashmir remains one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, with both countries claiming it in full but controlling only parts. The fear now is whether this latest round of violence will spiral into something much larger — something the world can’t afford between two nuclear-armed neighbors.