Context:

India conducted strategic strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed over two dozen civilians. These strikes avoided Pakistani military facilities and were described as focused and non-escalatory, yet marked an escalation by targeting areas in Punjab outside the disputed region. Pakistan vowed retaliation at its discretion, describing the strikes as causing civilian casualties, though this claim remains unverified. The international community, including the UN, has called for restraint, emphasizing the risks of military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations. The underlying conflict is rooted in the long-standing territorial dispute over Kashmir, a region with a complex history and significant military presence from both countries, which has repeatedly brought them to the brink of war since their partition in 1947.

Dive Deeper:

• India's strikes targeted nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, focusing on non-military sites in response to a brutal terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead.

• The strikes represented an escalation, particularly by hitting sites in Punjab, Pakistan, outside the traditionally disputed Kashmir region, despite India's assertion that they were focused and non-escalatory.

• Pakistan's government condemned the strikes, asserting they would retaliate at a time and place of their choosing, claiming civilian casualties occurred without independent verification.

• The international community, including the United Nations, has urged both nations to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation, as both countries possess nuclear capabilities.

• The Kashmir conflict originates from the 1947 partition of British India, with both countries claiming the region in its entirety while administering separate portions, leading to several wars and ongoing tensions.

• The recent terrorist attack exacerbated tensions, prompting India to implement punitive measures against Pakistan, including threats to disrupt water supplies and a security clampdown in Kashmir.

• Historical context shows that incidents like the 2019 Kashmir bombing, which was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, have previously escalated into significant military actions, highlighting the volatile nature of India-Pakistan relations over Kashmir.