India says hit ‘terrorist camps’ in Pakistan used as launchpads, recruitment hubs

India’s military strikes on Pakistan on Wednesday targeted “terrorist camps” that served as recruitment centers, launchpads, and indoctrination centers, and housed weapons and training facilities, the Indian military said.

“Intelligence and monitoring of Pakistan-based terror modules showed that further attacks against India were impending, therefore it was necessary to take preemptive and precautionary strikes,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery along their contested frontier in Kashmir on Wednesday in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The latest crisis erupted after New Delhi launched missile strikes on its arch-rival, with deaths subsequently reported on both sides.

New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing the deadliest attack in years on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 men were killed.

Islamabad rejects the charge.