India’s strikes come in retaliation to a militant attack that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists, in the picturesque resort town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April. Militants opened fire on people who were visiting Baisaran, a mountain-top meadow three miles (5 km) from Pahalgam.

India launched military strikes on targets in Pakistan, both countries said on Wednesday, with Pakistan claiming it had shot down at least two Indian Air Force planes in response, in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Russian air defence forces repelled dozens of Ukrainian drones that attacked Moscow and other parts of the country on Tuesday, the defence ministry said.