Updated:
India launched missile strikes on multiple targets in Pakistan-controlled territory early Wednesday, killing at least 19 people, including a child, in a sharp escalation of regional tensions.
Indian officials said the strikes targeted infrastructure linked to militant groups allegedly responsible for last month’s deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Precision weapons were used to hit sites near Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Kotli, including suspected headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan reported civilian casualties and claimed to have downed several Indian jets in retaliation.
At least seven civilians were also killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir by Pakistani shelling, the Indian army said in a statement.