Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated dangerously after at least 10 explosions were reported near Srinagar International Airport, with both nations launching drone and missile strikes in recent days.

The Kashmir region is once again a flashpoint for conflict, as India and Pakistan exchanged cross-border fire, airstrikes, and artillery. Indian defence sources said a wave of drone attacks hit Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot, with drones of Turkish origin suspected in the strikes.

Sirens and blackouts were reported across Jammu and Kashmir, as Indian forces scrambled to intercept enemy drones. Residents near Srinagar airport described “intense booms”, and Indian soldiers have been seen on high alert.

Heavy Shelling and Civilian Fears

Indian-controlled Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said:

“Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard… There’s a blackout in the city.”

Both sides have reported casualties, and around 48 deaths have been estimated since Wednesday, though numbers remain unverified.

Retaliation and Operation Sindoor

The escalation follows India’s “Operation Sindoor”, a retaliatory strike against what it claimed were terrorist training hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, in response to the terror attack on Hindu tourists last month.

Among the nine reported targets was a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) base, where India claimed to have killed Abdul Rauf Azhar, a top commander linked to the 2002 murder of journalist Daniel Pearl.

Pakistan Vows Revenge, Mentions Nuclear Threat

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed revenge for Indian airstrikes, while the Defence Minister issued a stark warning:

“If war escalates and the nuclear option is used, India will be to blame.”

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri hit back, calling Pakistan the “epicentre of global terrorism”.

Evacuations and International Reactions

Schools and public buildings near the border have been evacuated, and tourist buses remain on standby in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Sirens also rang out for over two hours in Amritsar, which houses the Golden Temple.

• US President Donald Trump said he’s prepared to help.
• UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for “urgent dialogue.”
• China, Pakistan’s main arms supplier, urged “restraint” but avoided direct criticism.

The international community now watches with growing alarm as two nuclear-armed nations edge closer to war.