Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan escalated sharply on Saturday as both countries accused each other of targeting military airbases in a series of missile and drone attacks, raising fresh fears of broader conflict.
India alleged that Pakistan launched missile strikes on several of its military installations late Friday, just hours after Islamabad accused New Delhi of targeting three Pakistani airbases in what it called “unprovoked aggression.”
In a strongly worded statement, the Indian Army labelled Pakistan’s actions as “escalatory and provocative.”
Pakistan’s military responded by claiming it had destroyed key components of India’s advanced S-400 air defence system during the exchanges, a claim India has firmly denied, calling it “false and misleading propaganda.”
The surge in hostilities follows India’s airstrikes earlier this week on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Those strikes, Indian officials said, were in direct response to last month’s deadly militant attack in Pahalgam, in which several Indian tourists were killed. India has blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attack, an allegation Islamabad continues to reject.
Since the initial strikes, both nations have reported frequent cross-border shelling, as well as the use of drones and short-range missiles. Villages along the Line of Control (LoC) have borne the brunt of the clashes, with civilian casualties reported on both sides — although exact numbers remain unconfirmed.
The latest escalation has sparked international concern, with several global powers urging both sides to exercise restraint and return to dialogue.