The conflict between India and Pakistan in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir has reached a new level of tension after a powerful blast in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, Punjab province. The strike, believed to have hit the Nurhan military base, has caused panic among locals and raised fears of further escalation. The situation is complicated by mutual accusations of missile attacks, which threatens to escalate into a full-scale confrontation between the nuclear powers.

According to Reuters, the Rawalpindi blast was part of a series of military actions that began on May 6, 2025, when India announced strikes on “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistani territory. Pakistan’s military, in turn, claims that India fired six ballistic missiles from the city of Adampur in the Indian state of Punjab. Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, a spokesman for the Pakistani army, said one of the missiles landed in Adampur itself, while five others hit the city of Amritsar, near the border. Pakistan promised to respond with “full force.”

India denies that its actions were provocative, saying the strikes were intended to prevent terrorist attacks. According to The Times of India, Indian authorities have stepped up security in border states, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation suspending operations at 32 airports until May 15, 2025, amid concerns of escalation. New Delhi has been placed on high alert, with key facilities under tight security. Pakistan, for its part, has restricted movement in major cities including Islamabad and Lahore, which Bloomberg reports is adding to the country’s economic instability.

The escalation comes as a humanitarian crisis rages in Kashmir. According to The Guardian, ten explosions rocked the airport in Srinagar, in the Indian part of the region, on May 9, prompting mass evacuations and power outages. The International Red Cross reports shortages of medicine and food, and hospitals are overwhelmed with victims. Images of the destruction are circulating on social media, highlighting the scale of the tragedy for civilians.