India-Pakistan conflict escalates as Islamabad vows revenge for deadly strikes

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared after Indian airstrikes targeted sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing dozens and prompting threats of retaliation from Islamabad, while the UK warned that "nobody wins" if conflict escalates.

India has confirmed launching overnight missile strikes on what it described as nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, claiming they were bases of “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan attacks on Indian soil. The strikes, carried out under the name Operation Sindoor, came in response to the April 22 killing of 26 people in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on cross-border groups allegedly backed by Pakistan.

Islamabad condemned the attacks as a “blatant act of war,” saying 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured. Meanwhile, India reported that 10 civilians were killed and 48 wounded in retaliatory cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces.

A Pakistani military spokesperson claimed that five Indian aircraft were shot down while inside Pakistani airspace—a statement that has yet to be independently verified. Pakistan’s leadership has vowed to respond to the strikes, raising fears of broader escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, long a flashpoint, remains at the heart of the standoff. Both nations claim it in full but administer separate parts.

The UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the situation a “serious concern,” urging both countries to “engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward.” He emphasized, “If this escalates further, nobody wins,” while reaffirming the UK’s condemnation of the April terror attack and its commitment to protecting British nationals in the region.

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