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Residents in Muzaffarabad said they heard multiple loud explosions after midnight, followed by a complete power blackout across the area.
“We were just about to go to bed when a huge blast happened, it was very big and terrifying explosions,” Chaudhry Ghulam Rasool, a resident living near the mosque, told CBS News.
State-run Pakistan Television Corporation, quoting security officials, said the country’s air force shot down two Indian jets in retaliation but provided no additional details.
The Pakistani security officials said Pakistan had launched retaliatory strikes, without providing any details. The officials spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.
The Pakistani army spokesperson, 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.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Trump called the strikes “a shame.”
“We just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval,” Mr. Trump said. “I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. You know, they’ve been fighting for many many decades, and centuries actually, if you really think about it. No, I just hope it ends very quickly.”
India’s Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday 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 ministry said, adding that “India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”
“We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” it added.
A spokesperson for the State Department said it was aware of the reports but had “no assessment to offer at this time.”
“This remains an evolving situation, and we are closely monitoring developments,” the spokesperson said.
Last week, Pakistan’s government claimed it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to take military action within hours in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack.
In the wake of the escalating crisis, both countries have expelled diplomats, suspended mutual airspace usage, and halted a key water-sharing treaty.
Sami Yousafzai contributed to this report.
