The conflict in Pakistani India escalates sharply with attacks on military bases

The fighting between India and Pakistan intensified sharply on Saturday, as both sides targeted the bases of air and military sites, and each blames the other for beating first.

Pakistan said that India targeted at least three of its air bases with air -to -air missiles in the early hours of Saturday, including Nour Khan, a major installation of the Air Force near the capital, Islamabad. Witnesses in the city of Rawalpindi, where Nour Khan is listening to hearing at least three noisy explosions, as one described one “large firework” visible of miles.

Within hours, Pakistan said it reviewed the use of short -range missiles to a surface to a surface against several locations in India, including air bases at UDHAMPUR, Pathankot and missile storage facility. The Pakistani army said in a statement, “Ain Al Ain.”

However, India said it struck many Pakistani military targets, two of them from radar sites, in response to a wave of Pakistani attacks on 26 sites using drones, long -range weapons and combat aircraft. “There are” limited damages “of equipment and employees in four air force bases.

It is the Pakistani measures that formed provocation and escalation. In response, India defended and interacted in a responsible way and measuring. “

Between the claims and counter -demands, it was increasingly clear that tonight included some of the most severe military participation from both sides since the armed confrontation began on Wednesday.

Both countries say they want to cancel the escalation, but the confrontation has only intensified since India had air strikes in Pakistan on Wednesday. India accused Pakistan of harboring the terrorist groups that have been carried out Fatal attack The tourists last month in India -controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied its involvement.

Since then, the crisis has risen to the most expansionist confrontation between the two countries in half a century, with fierce fighting along the sections of border attacks, drones and other strikes that reach deeper within each country. Every response came with waves of claims, anti -misleading allegations.

This prompted a warning around the world and diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other countries with strong relations with both India and Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Marco Rubio spoke with the Pakistani army commander, General Aim Monir, on Friday in his recent attempt to reduce tensions. Tami Bruce, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that Mr. Rubio “continued to urge the two parties to find ways to manufacture them and offered us to help start constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.”

The foreign ministers also urged the group of 7 industrial countries “the maximum restriction from both India and Pakistan” and warned on Friday that “the additional military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.”

But diplomatic pressure, including the visits of Islamabad and New Delhi by delegations from countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran, has failed so far.

On Saturday morning, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister, Isaac Dar, said that his government left no choice but to respond. “This is measured and proportional, and settles for what they did,” said at Geo News, a Pakistani TV channel.

“It has started now,” he added. “As all of this ends, it depends on India.”

His statement reflected what India said this week, describing its strikes as proportional and design to allow the de -escalation to be canceled.

With no prize outside the slope, there are concerns between the people of India and Pakistan about what may happen after that.

India and Pakistan became separate countries in 1947, and they fought three wars, with conflicts around Kashmir part of each of them. One of those wars, in December 1971, established the alleged control line that divides Kashmir.

Qasim Nauman The reports contributed.