Early this morning (Wednesday, May 7), two weeks after a deadly attack on tourists in the Jammu and Kashmir region, India conducted a military strike on Pakistani territory.

Indian officials stated that the attack was aimed at suppressing terrorist groups based in Pakistan.

Vikram Misri, foreign secretary of India, said at a press conference: “Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending. There was thus a compulsion both to deter and to preempt. Earlier this morning, as you would be aware, India exercised its right to respond and preempt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks."

Meanwhile, the Pakistani military claimed that India targeted civilians in the country.

Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Pakistani army, said: “India has issued a cowardly and baseless statement and targeted innocent civilians. The armed forces of Pakistan, with full public support, will give a decisive and comprehensive response to this aggression.”

Reports indicate that at least 26 civilians were killed and more than 45 others injured in the attacks. In response, Pakistan shelled Indian positions with artillery.

Masood Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group, claimed that ten of his family members, including several children, were killed in the Indian airstrike on a mosque in Bahawalpur.

This latest tension has drawn widespread international reactions. The United Nations, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and several other countries have called on both sides to avoid escalating the crisis. The Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Emirate also warned that rising tensions will not benefit the region.

US President Donald Trump responded to the attack, saying: “You know, they've been fighting for many, many decades, and centuries actually if you really think about it. No, I just hope it ends very quickly."

Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japanese chief cabinet secretary, also warned that the incident could lead to widespread military conflict and urged both sides to resolve the crisis through dialogue.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former US envoy for Afghan peace, also urged India and Pakistan to refrain from escalating the crisis.

Following these developments, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Indian chargé d'affaires, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi postponed his official visits to Croatia, the Netherlands, and Norway.