Some details are clouded by contradictory statements and disinformation. But a pattern of rapid escalation brought the conflict to the brink of catastrophe.

Two weeks after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, India has launched a series of strikes on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Indian defence ministry said the strikes - named "Operation Sindoor" - were part of a "commitment" to hold those responsible for the 22 April attack which left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead "accountable".

Pakistan on Wednesday called India’s overnight strikes an “unlawful act of war,” as tensions between the neighboring countries reached their highest point in decades. The latest force came amid