May 6 (UPI) -- India's military launched missile strikes against what it called "terrorist targets" in Pakistan overnight on Tuesday following the recent deadly attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
The Indian military launched Operation Sindoor by striking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered areas in Jammu and Kashmir, ABC News, the Times of India and Al Jazeera reported.
Pakistani officials in Islamabad acknowledged the missile strikes and said there will be a response.
Pakistani Army officials said the missile attacks targeted Bahawalpur, Muzaffaabad and Kotli in eastern Pakistan and killed three people and injured 12 others.
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The Indian Army declared "justice is served" after the missile strikes and blamed Pakistan for the deadly April 22 attack that killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, which is known as the "Switzerland of India" due to its proximity to the Himalayan Mountains.
Several gunmen emerged from a wooded area and fired on a group of tourists before disappearing back into the wooded area.
The attack occurred in a remote valley that is accessible only by horse or on foot.
President Donald Trump called the missile attack a "shame" when asked for comment on Tuesday, local time.
"Just heard about it," Trump told reporters. "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."
Trump said he hopes for a quick end to the hostilities between India and Pakistan, ABC News reported.
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement in which she said, "I implore the two governments to exercise restraint and prioritize diplomatic engagement. The world can ill afford instability in South Asia."
A State Department official said they are aware of the reports but have no assessment to offer at the time.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been among U.S. officials who are working to minimize any retaliation by India after the terrorist attack.
