Pakistan strikes military sites in India - as tensions over Kashmir rise

Pakistan has fired high-speed missiles at "multiple targets" across India - which has responded by targeting its neighbour's military bases.

Pakistan said in a statement that retaliatory attacks were under way in response to what it called "continuous provocation" by India, which it accuses of firing missiles at three airbases inside Pakistan. India-Pakistan live: Latest updates after cross-border firing Pakistan's military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to strike more than 25 military sites, including airbases and weapons depots in the Indian states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan, as well as locations in India-administered Kashmir.

At a press briefing in New Delhi, India's Colonel Sofiya Qureshi later claimed Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India's army responded on X to what it described as Pakistan's "blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions" along its western borders, adding they were "instantly engaged and destroyed" by air defences.

Pakistan's military posted footage on X showing missiles being fired from what appeared to be a mobile launcher. The AP news agency also said loud explosions have been heard in India-administered Kashmir, in the disputed region's two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, and the garrison town of Udhampur.

Five people were killed in the Jammu region, Indian police told the Reuters news agency. It marks the latest escalation in a conflict between the two nuclear-armed rivals, triggered by a deadly attack last month in India-administered Kashmir.

Most of the 26 civilians killed were Hindu Indian tourists. India blames Pakistan for backing the assault, an accusation Islamabad rejects.

On Saturday morning, Pakistan's military claimed a meeting of the National Command Authority - which oversees the county's nuclear arsenal - was taking place. But this was later denied by Pakistan's defence minister.

Speaking on Pakistani television network ARY TV, Khawaja Asif said: "This thing that you have spoken about [nuclear option] is present, but let's not talk about it - we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldn't even discuss it in the immediate context. "Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down.

No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled." Despite the military offensive, Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF) also posted a message on X in what appeared to represent an opportunity to de-escalate the situation. "Now that a response has been given we hope the neighbour [India] will move to dialogue and diplomacy like civilised nations," it said.

Numerous spokespeople from India's Foreign Ministry gave a press briefing this morning, where they said the country's forces "successfully neutralised" the threats - before adding India is also committed to "non-escalation". Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said there had been "limited damage" to some military infrastructure and claimed Pakistan targeted civilian medical and educational facilities at air bases in India-administered Kashmir.

Read more:The story of India and Pakistan's deadly conflictHow the two countries' militaries match up Pakistan's army has deployed more troops on their shared border, she added, saying India targeted its neighbour's radar systems and technical bases in retaliation. India's response was "measured," foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh ended the briefing by saying India "reiterates its commitment to non-escalation provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military". "Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness," she added.

Around an hour after the press briefing, Indian channel CNN-News18 reported the first phone call between India and Pakistan was taking place. US urges both sides to 'de-escalate' US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan's army chief general Asim Munir on Friday to "urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate" and offer "US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts".

In recent days, both countries have launched a series of missile and drone strikes, although the scale and impact have been consistently questioned by each side. On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory.

Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets. On Thursday, India claimed to have repelled drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu in India-administered Kashmir.

Meanwhile, India claimed it struck Pakistan's air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones, targeting military installations along the western borders - a claim strongly denied by Pakistan.

The G7 group of advanced economies, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and Britain, urged maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan. "We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome," a statement issued on Friday said..