Debris from an unidentified aircraft is found in Pampore in Indian-controlled Kashmir on May 7, 2025. There is no official confirmation yet on which aircraft crashed or who it belongs to. Photo: VCG

India has launched military strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, which it claimed as "terrorist infrastructure." The Pakistani government condemned the move as "blatant aggression," saying the strikes hit civilian areas in six locations on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to the Xinhua News Agency and a statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said its armed forces have been authorized to carry out "corresponding actions" following the strikes. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also declared that Islamabad "won't take long to settle the score" and said that military operations were already under way, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera reports.

This round of hostilities marks the deadliest confrontation between the two countries in more than two decades. As of press time, Pakistan's military reported at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured, while India's army said 15 civilians were killed and 43 injured by Pakistan's artillery firing in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Xinhua News Agency and BBC reported.

Pakistan's military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Sukhoi, and a combat drone whose debris fell inside Indian territory. "None of the Pakistani aircraft went inside Indian airspace," he added, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

New Delhi described the strikes as "measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible," and said the country has "exercised its right to respond and pre-empt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks," according to Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri.

India said the strike was in retaliation for an April 22 attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 people. New Delhi has suggested Pakistan was behind the attack, which Pakistan has denied multiple times, according to media reports.

India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told counterparts in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, and Japan on Wednesday that India has no intention to escalate the conflict but is prepared to "retaliate resolutely" if provoked, according to Indian local media NDTV. The briefings came shortly after India conducted "Operation Sindoor" across nine sites.

Pakistan's National Security Committee said India had "once again ignited an inferno in the region," urging the international community to hold India accountable for its "unprovoked illegal actions" and violations of international norms, according to Al Jazeera.

Later on Wednesday, Pakistan's National Security Council (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemned India's "illegal acts as blatant violations of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The NSC asserted that Pakistan "reserves the right to respond in self-defense, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives," according to the Press Information Department of Pakistan. 

The Pakistan Airports Authority has, according to Reuters, announced on Wednesday that all airports in Pakistan are fully functional, and that Pakistan's national airspace is available and safe for civil aviation. Multiple airlines have canceled or rerouted civilian flights in the wake of India's missile attack.

However, media reports said heavy fighting was still ongoing as of press time, with loud explosions and smoke seen around the town of Poonch, and intense shelling and heavy gunfire across much of their de facto border near the Line of Control in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced deep concern over the clashes and urged "maximum military restraint" from both nations, Reuters reported. The UN echoed calls from countries including China, Russia, the US, the UK, France, Japan, the UAE and Qatar, all of whom urged dialogue and de-escalation.

China called on Wednesday morning both India and Pakistan to "remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday morning.

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in the de-escalation of the ongoing tensions.

Lin said that China has made clear its position on the ongoing situation between India and Pakistan. China finds India's military operation early this morning regrettable. "We are concerned about the ongoing situation," said Lin.

India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They are both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, Lin added.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Wednesday to exchange views on the current tensions. Dar briefed Jiang on India's military strikes and Pakistan's response, reaffirming Islamabad's commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and expressing hope to maintain close communication and coordination with China. Jiang expressed regret over India's operation and reiterated China's call for calm and restraint, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan.

Russia's Foreign Ministry also expressed "deep concern" about the escalating military confrontation and called on both countries to exercise restraint. The ministry condemned all forms of terrorism in a statement on its website, Reuters reported.

US President Donald Trump described the fighting as "a shame" and said, "I hope it ends quickly." Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both countries' national security advisers, urging them to keep communication lines open and avoid further escalation, according to Reuters.

The UK offered to play a diplomatic role in easing tensions. Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement. 

Chinese experts noted that preventing the escalation of the conflict depends largely on the restraint of both leaderships and diplomatic efforts by the international community.

The Indian air strike was driven more by domestic pressure following the attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir two weeks ago, said Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University. Although India claimed it only targeted terrorist facilities and kept the response restrained, the fact that it entered Pakistani territory introduces a real risk of large-scale conflict, Qian told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Qian added that both sides need to observe a ceasefire and de-escalate first. "History shows that political solutions are the only viable way to ease India-Pakistan conflict."