India-Pakistan Conflict Escalates: The ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan has reached its most intense level in over two decades, with at least 38 deaths reported amid heavy cross-border firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and India’s airstrikes. The violence follows India’s missile strikes on Tuesday midnight, which Pakistan claims killed 26 civilians, while India reports 12 civilian deaths due to Pakistan’s retaliatory shelling near the LoC in the Uri and Poonch sectors, where several buildings were also damaged.
Pakistan has vowed a strong response to India’s airstrikes, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” with its military stating it will choose the “time, place, and manner” of retaliation. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared, “Pakistan has the full right to respond decisively to India’s imposed act of war, and a robust response is indeed underway.” Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif told AFP that retaliatory actions have already “begun.”
In response, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval emphasized, “India has no intention of escalating tensions, but if Pakistan chooses to do so, India is well-prepared to respond.”
Pakistan’s Allegations
Pakistan’s military accused India of targeting civilian infrastructure, specifically the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Army spokesperson Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry stated, “India targeted the Nouseri Dam, a critical hydropower facility. What international law, war convention, or tradition allows targeting another country’s reservoirs, dams, or hydropower infrastructure?” He described the strikes as an “unacceptable and dangerous provocation,” questioning whether India intends to harm Pakistan’s water resources and warning of severe consequences. India has not responded to these allegations.
India’s Claims
India maintains that its missile strikes targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir to avenge the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. At a press briefing in New Delhi, Colonel Sofia Qureshi of the Indian Army stated, “Operation Sindoor was launched to deliver justice to the innocent civilians and their families killed in Pahalgam. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and completely destroyed.” India insists that neither Pakistani civilians nor military personnel were targeted in the operation.
Ongoing Tensions
Heavy artillery exchanges continue along the LoC, exacerbating fears of further escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Both sides have reported significant civilian casualties, with Pakistan claiming eight deaths from India’s strikes and India reporting 11 civilian deaths from Pakistan’s shelling in Poonch. The conflict has disrupted civilian life, with schools, colleges, and airports closed, and residents seeking shelter. International airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, have diverted flights from Pakistani airspace, and 430 flights in India were canceled by Wednesday afternoon.
The international community, including the United Nations, has expressed concern, with closed-door UN Security Council talks held to address the crisis. As both nations brace for potential further retaliation, the situation remains volatile, raising fears of a broader military confrontation.
