News - Middle East: India and Pakistan have started heavy artillery exchanges along their contested frontier, after New Delhi launched missile strikes on its arch-rival in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. 

Deaths were reported on both sides on Wednesday. Pakistan said Indian strikes had killed at least 26 civilians and wounded 46 others, and India said Pakistani artillery fire had killed 10 civilians and injured 48 others along the de facto border.

Islamabad said it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets.

Tensions intensified after India launched "Operation Sindoor" at about 1 am on Wednesday, executing synchronized missile attacks against nine "terrorist facilities" across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

India says its missile strikes specifically targeted "militant infrastructure" in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and eastern Punjab province of the country.

An Indian defense ministry statement said the operation came in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, that killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen on April 22.

In a post-strike video shared on X, the Indian army said its operations was "focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature."

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of authorizing the military action primarily to "shore up" his political support at home.

"The retaliation has already started. We won't take long to settle the score," Asif said.

According to reports, heavy shelling has now resumed on the Line of Control that separates Pakistan-administered Kashmir from Indian-administered Kashmir.

India has blamed armed groups for the Pahalgam attack which it claims were backed by Pakistan. Islamabad has been denying any role in the attack.

Source: Press TV