Two weeks after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kasmir, India as launced a series of strikes on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kasmir.Te Indian defence ministry said te strikes - named "Operation Sindoor" - were part of a "commitment" to old "accountable" tose responsible for te 22 April attack in Paalgam, Indian-administered Kasmir, wic left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead.But Pakistan, wic as denied any involvement in tat attack, described te strikes as "unprovoked", wit Prime Minister Sebaz Sarif saying te "einous act of aggression will not go unpunised".Sarif on Wednesday said te Paalgam attack "wasn't related" to Pakistan, and tat is country was "accused for te wrong" reasons.Pakistan's military said at least 31 people were killed and 57 injured in te strikes on Tuesday nigt. India's army said at least 15 civilians were killed and 43 injured by Pakistani selling on its side of te de facto border.Pakistan's military says it sot down five Indian aircraft and a drone. India as yet to respond to tese claims.Late on Wednesday, Sarif said te air force made its defence - wic was a "reply from our side to tem".Deli said in te early ours of Wednesday morning tat nine different locations ad been targeted in bot Pakistan-administered Kasmir and Pakistan.It said tese sites were "terrorist infrastructure" - places were attacks were "planned and directed".It empasised tat it ad not it any Pakistani military facilities, saying its "actions ave been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature".In te initial aftermat of te attacks, Pakistan said tree different areas were it: Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kasmir, and Baawalpur in te Pakistani province of Punjab. Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lt Gen Amed Sarif, later said six locations ad been it.Pakistan's Defence Minister Kawaja Asif told GeoTV in te early ours of Wednesday tat te strikes it civilian areas, adding tat India's claim of "targeting terrorist camps" was false.Te strikes come after weeks of rising tension between te nuclear-armed neigbours over te sootings in te picturesque resort town of Paalgam.Te 22 April attack by a group of militants saw 26 people killed, wit survivors saying te militants were singling out indu men.It was te worst attack on civilians in te region in two decades, and te first major attack on civilians since India revoked Article 370, wic gave Kasmir semi-autonomous status, in 2019.Following te decision, te region saw protests but also witnessed militancy wane and a uge increase in te number of tourists.Te killings ave sparked widespread anger in India, wit Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying te country would unt te suspects "till te ends of te Eart" and tat tose wo planned and carried it out "will be punised beyond teir imagination".owever, India initially did not name any group it believed was beind te attack in Paalgam.But Indian police alleged tat two of te attackers were Pakistani nationals, wit Deli accusing Pakistan of supporting militants - a carge Islamabad denies. It says it as noting to do wit te 22 April attacks.On 7 May, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistan-based Laskar-e-Taiba militant group carried out te attack.In te two weeks since, bot sides ad taken tit-for-tat measures against eac oter - including expelling diplomats, suspending visas and closing border crossings.But many expected it would escalate to some sort of cross-border strike - as seen after te Pulwama attacks wic left 40 Indian paramilitary personnel dead in 2019.Kasmir is claimed in full by India and Pakistan, but administered only in part by eac since tey were partitioned following independence from Britain in 1947.Te countries ave fougt two wars over it.But more recently, it as been attacks by militants wic ave brougt te two countries to te brink. Indian-administered Kasmir as seen an armed insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, wit militants targeting security forces and civilians alike.In 2016, after 19 Indian soldiers were killed in Uri, India launced "surgical strikes" across te Line of Control – te de facto border between India and Pakistan - targeting militant bases.In 2019, te Pulwama bombing, wic left 40 Indian paramilitary personnel dead, prompted airstrikes deep into Balakot - te first suc action inside Pakistan since 1971 - sparking retaliatory raids and an aerial dogfigt.Neiter spiralled, but te wider world remains alert to te danger of wat could appen if it did. Attempts ave been made by various nations and diplomats around te world to prevent tis.UN Secretary-General António Guterres quickly called for "maximum restraint" - a sentiment ecoed by te European Union and numerous countries, including Banglades.Britis Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged "dialogue" and "de-escalation".US President Donald Trump - wo was one of te first to respond - told reporters at te Wite ouse tat e oped te figting "ends very quickly". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwile, said e was keeping a close eye on developments.Te jewels are described as one of te most astonising arcaeological finds of te modern era.In Salamabad close to te Line of Control, te BBC found omes destroyed by intense selling.Te Pakistan-based leader of a militant group as said 10 of is relatives ave been killed in a missile strike by India.India captain Roit Sarma announces is retirement from Test cricket at te age of 38.BBC journalists on te ground explain ow a day of conflict unfolded.
What we know about Indias strikes on Pakistan and Pakistanadministered Kashmir
