India-Pakistan conflict reignites amid military strikes
India reported on Wednesday morning local time that they launched a military operation against Pakistan, targeting "terror infrastructure" in both Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan responded with attacks on Indian aircraft.
- India reported on Wednesday morning local time that they started a military operation against Pakistan, striking "terror infrastructure" in both Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
- The current escalation of tensions began with a terrorist attack. In April, armed assailants attacked tourists in the town of Pahalgam in Kashmir, killing 26 people. Police stated that the attack was carried out by militants opposing Indian control over the Muslim-majority territory.
- According to information provided by the spokesperson for the Pakistani army, Pakistan's armed forces shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale jets, one Su-30, and one MiG-29. They were reportedly shot down while they were in Indian airspace. Simultaneously, as per the spokesperson, Indian aircraft were attacked only after they conducted strikes on Pakistani territory. He added that no Pakistani aircraft were shot down.
- In the attacks conducted by India on Pakistani territory on Wednesday, eight people were killed and nearly 40 were injured, informed the spokesperson for Pakistan's armed forces, Gen. Ahmed Sharif, as quoted by Reuters. "This attack is unjustified and an absolutely blind aggression," said Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar. The Indian army reported in turn that three Indian civilians were killed as a result of Pakistani shelling.
- The exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces took place at numerous locations along the Line of Control in the disputed region — Kashmir, added Gen. Sharif.
- "The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," relayed the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, quoted by Reuters.
- The escalation reports were commented on by Donald Trump. "It's a shame, we just heard about it," he said at a press conference at the White House. "I just hope it ends very quickly," he added.
Militarily, India surpasses Pakistan, with an army of 1.4 million soldiers, a defence budget of $81 billion (112 billion CAD), and advanced weaponry, including nuclear arms. Pakistan, with an army of 650,000 soldiers and a budget of $10.4 billion (14.4 billion CAD), relies on asymmetric tactics and nuclear deterrence, supported by China. Both countries avoid full-scale war due to the nuclear risk, but border incidents, like the exchange of fire along the Line of Control in April 2025, maintain the tension.