India strikes Pakistani territory in response to militant attack on tourists

Amna Nawaz:

India has launched missile strikes against Pakistan tonight in an apparent response to a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago.

Geoff Bennett:

India blamed those attacks on Pakistani militants and struck nine targets in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, the disputed border region each claims as its own.

Nick Schifrin joins us now.

So, Nick, what's the latest?

Nick Schifrin:

Geoff, as you said, India says that it targeted terror sites in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

But Pakistan says the strikes also hit in Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab. And these are videos from Pakistan tonight. You see one of those explosions. India calls this Operation Sindoor and says these strikes are — quote — "focused, measured and non-escalatory," they didn't target any Pakistani military targets," and that India has — quote — "demonstrated considerable restraint."

As you guys said, India is responding to a terrorist attack last month in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed more than two dozen Hindu tourists. India accused Pakistan of backing that attack, a claim that Pakistan, of course, denies.

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been under enormous domestic pressure to respond to this attack with the military. And analysts tells me that India, frankly, feels like the aggrieved party right now and is not worried about escalation. So Modi had to respond, in part because he has been claiming that Kashmir was safe.

Geoff Bennett:

So, based on your conversations, based on your reporting, is this likely to escalate?

Nick Schifrin:

In a word, unfortunately, yes.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tonight said — quote — "Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India and a strong response is indeed being given."

Pakistan had already warned that any Indian military strike would be responded to with a — quote — "quid pro quo." And, tonight, Pakistan is describing these attacks as partially on civilians. Pakistan has said a child was killed, a mosque might have been struck.

And so the analysts I speak to say that Pakistan's army chief, who is known by some as risk-prone, will be wanting to demonstrate a level of toughness, wanting to respond to this in a way that will go over and above what India has done. And so the fear among analysts tonight is very much that this will escalate.

Geoff Bennett:

OK, Nick Schifrin, our thanks to you, as always.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.