India Fires Missiles Across Pakistan Border

India fired missiles across the border into Pakistani-controlled territory in at least three locations early Wednesday, killing a child and wounding two other people, Pakistani security officials said. India said it was striking infrastructure used by militants. The strikes came amid soaring tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors over last month's militant attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, the AP reports. India has blamed Pakistan for backing the militant attack, which Islamabad has denied. Last week, Pakistan said it had "credible intelligence" suggesting India would launch strikes.

The missiles early Wednesday struck locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country's eastern Punjab province, according to Pakistani security officials. One of them struck a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, where a child was killed and a woman and man were injured, one official said. The officials, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity, said Pakistan had launched retaliatory strikes, without providing any details.

• The Pakistani army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, told ARY News that the missiles were launched from within Indian territory and that no Indian aircraft had entered Pakistani airspace. "This was a cowardly attack targeting innocent civilians under the cover of darkness," Sharif told the broadcaster.
• "Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing. This heinous provocation will not go unanswered," Sharif said, per the Telegraph. "This temporary happiness that India has achieved with this cowardly attack will be replaced with enduring grief."

• India's Defense Ministry said in a statement that at least nine sites were targeted "where terrorist attacks against India have been planned." "Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted," the statement said, adding that "India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution." The military said the strikes were part of Operation Sindoor.
• Pakistan International Airlines said all domestic and international flights are on hold and passengers are advised not to go to airports, the Guardian reports.

(More Pakistan stories.)