The missile strikes in Kashmir killed dozens of Indians and Pakistani citizens. Both sides accuse each other of aggression as tensions escalate, raising fears of broader conflict.
Pakistan claimed that at least thirty-one people were killed in India’s overnight aerial attacks, while fifty-seven were injured. The recent attack followed a missile strike carried out by New Delhi in response to a terrorist attack on tourists, mostly Hindus, in the disputed Kashmir region.
Islamabad has denied responsibility for what is now known as the “Pahalgam incident,” which also left twenty-six people dead.
India’s Perspective on the Nighttime Missile Attacks
Both sides have claimed that the other had launched drone strikes, and have continued to trade heavy fire across the frontier of the disputed Kashmir region. At least sixteen civilians, including children, have been killed on the Indian side of the border in the recent exchanges.
India claimed it struck Pakistani air defenses and said the attacks were carried out to “neutralize” Pakistan’s ability to hit military targets. In his first remarks since the recent escalation in hostilities began, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for “continued alertness,” while he also stressed maintaining internal coordination.
There are reports that Indian drones may have reached Pakistani positions in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi, deeper into the country than was likely expected.
Pakistan’s Perspective on the Nighttime Missile Attacks
Islamabad alleged that forty to fifty Indian troops may have also been killed in the fighting, while it claimed to have shot down at least a dozen drones in the past day.
Pakistan previously claimed to have shot down five Indian Air Force jets, three of which were reported to be French-made Dassault Rafales, a Russian Mikoyan MiG-29, and a Sukhoi Su-30.
“We have blown their (Indian) military installations on the de facto border,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told Sky News.
New Delhi has accused the Pakistani government of spreading misinformation.
Further Escalation After Nighttime Missile Attacks
Both sides are likely employing drones, which are far less costly than state-of-the-art jet fighters. Such platforms have proven to be game changers and force multipliers in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Drones can also penetrate deeply into enemy territory, which could result in greater loss of life and escalate matters.
“World nations have urged calm,” the BBC reported.
“The initial thinking was that after India launched missile attacks and with Pakistan claiming to have shot down several Indian jets (a claim Delhi has not confirmed), both sides could claim ‘victory’ and de-escalate.”
Instead, neither side appears ready to accept a return to the status quo.
“India has undertaken yet another blatant military act of aggression against Pakistan by sending Harop drones at multiple locations,” Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Pakistani Army spokesman, said at a press briefing on Thursday.
He added that the Indian attack “continues, and the armed forces are on a high degree of alert and neutralizing them as we speak.”
India and Pakistan have fought two of the three major wars over control of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and there are growing concerns that this border dispute is escalating into a full-blown conflict.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ Melnikov Dmitriy.
