Context:

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following India's military strikes on sites in Pakistan, which India claims were terror camps, in response to a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed over two dozen civilians. The strikes targeted nine sites across Pakistan and the disputed Kashmir region, resulting in at least eight deaths and 35 injuries, according to Pakistani officials. India justified its actions with evidence pointing to Pakistan-based terrorists' involvement in the attack, while Pakistan condemned the strikes as an act of war and vowed retaliation. The international community, including the U.N. and the U.S., has urged both nations to exercise restraint due to the potential for significant conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The situation remains volatile as both countries prepare for potential further military engagements, compounded by a history of conflict over the Kashmir region, which remains one of the most militarized areas in the world.

Dive Deeper:

• India conducted military strikes on nine sites in Pakistan, asserting that these were terror camps linked to a recent terrorist attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir. The attack, which occurred two weeks prior, resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, prompting India to take military action.

• Pakistan reported that the strikes led to the deaths of at least eight people and injuries to 35 others. The attacks hit six locations in Punjab Province and parts of Kashmir under Pakistani control, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

• The Indian government claimed that the military actions were based on evidence of involvement by Pakistan-based terrorists and were conducted in a measured manner to avoid further escalation. However, Pakistan has denied involvement in the initial attack and condemned India's actions as unprovoked acts of war.

• Global leaders, including U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and U.S. officials, have called for restraint, emphasizing the risks of a military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations. Historically, India and Pakistan have fought several wars over the Kashmir region, with the last significant conflict occurring in 1999.

• In response to India's strikes, Pakistan has vowed to retaliate at a time and place of its choosing, increasing the potential for further military engagements. The situation is further complicated by the historical dispute over Kashmir, a region claimed by both nations but divided between them since 1947.

• The conflict has roots in the partition of British India, which left Kashmir's status unresolved, leading to ongoing tensions and militarization in the region. Recent history includes several incidents of violence and military action, including a 2019 bombing in Kashmir that prompted an Indian airstrike inside Pakistan.

• India has activated its air-defense units along the border, and several airports in the region have been closed to civilian travel as both nations prepare for possible retaliatory actions. The strikes have intensified international concern over the potential for escalation into a broader conflict.