India Conducts Strikes, Pakistan Responds with Shelling Amid Kashmir Terror Assault

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following India's Operation Sindoor, a military campaign targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, launched in response to a brutal April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. India reports that Pakistan conducted a large-scale drone attack involving 300-400 drones targeting civilian and military sites across 36 locations, many of which were neutralized by India's defenses, while India retaliated with drone strikes that destroyed a Pakistani air defense radar. Pakistani shelling and drone strikes along the Line of Control have caused casualties on both sides, with India emphasizing Pakistan's use of Islamist militant groups as state proxies fueling the conflict. Indian political leaders and defense officials have praised the armed forces for their measured and effective response, highlighting India's efforts to target only terror infrastructure while Pakistan has targeted civilian areas. Experts and former Pentagon officials underscore Pakistan's long history of sponsoring terrorism as the root cause of the hostilities, cautioning against overlooking this in international de-escalation efforts. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing exchanges of fire and diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.