India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire after days of military escalation, deadly cross-border attacks, accusations and counter accusations, had raised acute concerns that the two nuclear-armed neighbours would engage in an all-out war for the fifth time since 1947.

But violations of the truce were reported later on Saturday as explosions rang out across parts of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Military officials from both countries had spoken to each other and agreed that all fighting would stop at 17:00 Indian time (11:30 GMT) on Saturday, bringing a halt to all firing and operations by land, air, and sea. This followed heavy overnight exchanges Friday into Saturday.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the two military chiefs would speak to each other again on May 12.

“Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity,”  Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

The announcement had met relief and joyous scenes by residents in both countries and in the areas of disputed Kashmir that each administers.

But just hours after the ceasefire was announced, explosions were heard across the city of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to Omar Abdullah, chief minister of the federal territory. “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar,” Abdullah posted on X.

Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Lahore, Pakistan, said, “People are welcoming the ceasefire, but we are also reminded how precarious it is; ceasefire violations are already happening across the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region.”

“We’ve been hearing from local sources that there has been an exchange of fire in multiple locations in the Kashmir region, and there are some projectiles that have entered the Pakistani airspace, as well”, he said.

“We’re also hearing the loud explosions in Srinagar, similar to what was heard early Saturday and in the afternoon. Air sirens are all across, and there’s a power shutdown,” journalist Umar Mehraj told Al Jazeera from Srinagar.

“I can see projectiles flying, projectiles in the sky. It’s very unclear if they are missiles or air defence intercepting these attacks. Similar reports of the explosions are being heard in Baramulla and Jammu,” said Mehraj.

Electricity was cut off across multiple localities, adding to the confusion. With no official clarification on the nature of the blasts, some residents described feeling “abandoned and unprepared”.

“One of the blasts was so powerful it made the walls tremble. Authorities are not clarifying what is going on; we do not have any shelters, nor did we hear any sirens. We do not know what to do. There is only fear,” one Srinagar resident told Al Jazeera.

The ceasefire appears to have been mediated by international actors, but there are conflicting reports as to which countries played a crucial role.

US President Donald Trump claims it was the US – he was first to declare it on Truth Social post: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE”.

“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” he wrote.

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, DC, noted, “There are questions about why the US did announce first. What sort of leverage does it have over India and Pakistan? We do know that it was a multilateral attempt to get a ceasefire. We do know, as well, that the United Kingdom has just signed a major trade deal with India, so it would also have great sway in this. Still, the US appears to be taking it further.”

However, Dar told broadcaster Geo News that Pakistan and India had agreed to a “full-fledged” and “not partial” ceasefire, adding that three dozen countries were involved in the diplomacy that secured it.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement also includes plans for broader talks at a neutral venue, which conflicts with a statement published on social media by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that says, “There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place.”

Broader Issues

Amid the cessation of hostilities, India and Pakistan have also agreed to a broader dialogue on various issues.

Two government sources told the news agency Reuters that all measures taken by India against Pakistan after April 22, including on trade and visas, remain in place.

Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Lahore, Pakistan, said that for the Pakistani side, the water issue is crucial “because India has suspended its related treaty with Pakistan, which affects the livelihood and agriculture in this country”.

Four government sources told Reuters that the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, remains suspended.

The treaty regulates the sharing of water from the Indus River and its tributaries between the South Asian nations. India pulled out of it last month. It is crucial to agriculture in both nations.

“There are real fundamental political issues that need to be addressed so we don’t find ourselves again in a militarised crisis,” Elizabeth Threlkeld, director of the South Asia programme at the Stimson Centre, told Al Jazeera.

“The timing is significant since there is significant water flow between India and Pakistan because of the season at the moment. But in a few months’ time, that will start to dry up,” she said.

India does not necessarily have the infrastructure to meaningfully divert water right now, but it will gain that capacity when there’s less flow. So, that will have to be on the agenda of the talks if the two sides are to come together,” she added.

‘God has been kind to us for now’

Following the announcement of a ceasefire, residents on both sides of the Line of Control in Kashmir expressed a sense of relief, with many praying for a lasting solution to the Kashmir conflict.

“I was extremely anxious about what was happening,” 25-year-old Rumaisa Jan, a resident of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir who has her wedding scheduled next week, told Al Jazeera. “This is the wisest decision taken after so many lives have been lost. We want peace and an end to all these hostilities.”

Firdous Ahmad Sheikh, who runs a travel agency in the city, said he was frustrated by Kashmir being turned into a “battleground” by the two countries.

“My only fear is that things could escalate again in future. These countries must sit together and find a political solution to Kashmir once and for all. I pray our children don’t have to witness such times again.

“God has been kind to us for now.”

In Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, residents welcomed the ceasefire, saying they hope it will bring long-awaited relief to a region that has borne the brunt of recurring conflict.

“For us, peace means survival,” said Zulfikar Ali, a resident. “We’ve suffered enough. I’m glad that both Pakistan and India have made a sensible decision.”

The search and rescue group has found the remains of three unidentified bodies so far, according to anonymous sources.

A Qatari mission has begun searching for the remains of United States hostages killed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group in Syria about 10 years ago, according to the Reuters news agency, citing two sources briefed on the mission.

Qatar’s International Search and Rescue Group began the search on Wednesday, with the help of several US nationals who wished to remain anonymous, the news agency reported.

So far, three unidentified bodies have been found by the group, according to the sources. The mission’s focus was on locating the body of aid worker Peter Kassig, who was beheaded by ISIL in 2014 in Dabiq, northern Syria, a Syrian security source told Reuters.

US aid worker Kayla Mueller as well as US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were among other Western hostages killed by ISIL. Foley and Sotloff were confirmed killed in 2014. Mueller’s killing was confirmed in 2015.

“We’re grateful for anyone taking on this task and risking their lives in some circumstances to try and find the bodies of Jim and the other hostages,” said Diane Foley, James Foley’s mother. “We thank all those involved in this effort.”

The Qatari mission is getting under way as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit Doha and other Gulf Arab capitals next week and as Syria’s new government seeks relief from sanctions imposed by the US.

Washington, along with some other Western governments, has said it will wait to see how the new authorities exercise their power and ensure human rights before lifting any sanctions.

The United Kingdom last month removed its sanctions on 12 Syrian government entities, including the Ministries of Defence and Interior and the General Intelligence Directorate.

Longstanding commitment

ISIL once controlled vast swaths of Syria and Iraq, ruling over millions of people. At the peak of its power from 2014-2017, it beheaded numerous people in captivity, including Western hostages, and released videos of the killings.

A coalition of more than 80 countries, led by the US, was formed to fight ISIL in September 2014.

The war against the group officially ended in March 2019, when US-backed and Kurdish-led fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces captured the eastern Syrian town of Baghouz, the last sliver of land ISIL controlled.

Plans for the Qatari mission were discussed during a visit to Washington in April by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and State Minister Mohammed Al Khulaifi – a trip also designed to prepare for Trump’s visit to Qatar, one of the sources told Reuters.

Another person familiar with the issue said there had been a longstanding commitment by successive US administrations to find the remains of the murdered US nationals, and that there had been multiple previous “efforts with US government officials on the ground in Syria to search very specific areas”.

The person did not elaborate, the report said. But the US has had hundreds of soldiers deployed in northeastern Syria that have continued pursuing ISIL’s remnants.

The person said the remains of Kassig, Sotloff and Foley were most likely located in this part of the country. Mueller’s case was different as she was in the custody of ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the person added.

Two ISIL members, both former UK citizens who were part of a cell dubbed the “Beatles” that beheaded US hostages, are serving life prison sentences in the US.

Islamabad, Pakistan – India and Pakistan fired missiles at each other’s military bases on Saturday morning, the latest escalation in their rapid drift towards an all-out war.

Pakistan accused India of carrying out attacks inside its territory for the fourth consecutive night, launching ballistic missile strikes on at least three air bases. Islamabad said that in response, it launched a major military campaign, “Operation Bunyan Marsoos” (Arabic for “a structure made of lead”) targeting at least six Indian military bases.

India, in turn, accused Pakistan of being the aggressor. Indian military officials claimed Pakistan had targeted several Indian military bases and that its missiles into Pakistani territory were in response.

Yet, regardless of who hit the other first on May 10, the very fact that India and Pakistan had struck each other’s military bases over such a wide swath of territory, well beyond Kashmir – the disputed region that they each partly control – means that the conflict has now veered into almost unknown territory.

Never have the South Asian rivals attacked each other on this scale outside the four wars they have fought.

Here is what we know so far about India’s attacks, Pakistan’s response, what both countries and global powers like the United States are saying, and the background to this intensifying conflict.

What happened on the morning of May 10, according to Pakistan?

Pakistan said that India launched a salvo of drones into Pakistan, followed by ballistic missile strikes on at least three major airbases.

The Pakistani bases India targeted are:

Nur Khan airbase:  Located near Chaklala, Rawalpindi, it serves as a key operational and training hub. It houses important Pakistan Air Force commands, and supports transport, logistics and VIP flight operations.
Murid airbase: Located in Chakwal, roughly 120km (75 miles) from Islamabad. It is a vital forward-operating base for the Pakistan Air Force. It plays a crucial role in air defence and combat readiness.
Rafiqui airbase: Located in Shorkot, Punjab, the base hosts fighter squadrons.

Pakistan said that in response, it launched aerial attacks against multiple Indian military bases. The bases known to have been targeted are:

Udhampur airbase: Located in Indian-administered Kashmir, Udhampur is also the headquarters of the Indian Army’s Northern Command.
Pathankot airbase: The base in Indian Punjab is a central part of India’s frontline air force operations and was targeted by armed fighters in a 2016 attack in which six Indian soldiers were killed. India blamed that attack on the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad.
Drangyari artillery gun position: Drangyari is in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Uri field support depot: Uri, in Indian-administered Kashmir, is also home to a major Indian Army base that was attacked in 2016 by armed fighters who killed 19 Indian soldiers. India, which blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad for the attack, launched what it described as “surgical strikes” in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Nagrota: The town in Indian-administered Kashmir is home to a storage site for the Brahmos missiles jointly designed and made by India and Russia.
Beas: Located in Indian Punjab, the site is a storage facility for the Brahmos missile.
Adampur air base: Located in Indian Punjab, the base is home to an S-400 missile defence system that India bought from Russia.
Bhuj air base: The base is located in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What has India said?

At a media briefing, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of provocations and escalations, claiming that New Delhi was only responding to its neighbour’s actions.

He was joined by Colonel Sofia Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, who shared New Delhi’s version of events.

Pakistan, Qureshi said, used “drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircrafts to target civilian areas and military infrastructure”.

“Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy calibre weapons along the Line of Control,” she said. Loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones, are remote-controlled and designed to crash into their targets. The Line of Control is the de facto border between Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

While India said it had shot down most incoming missiles and drones, Qureshi and Singh conceded that the air force bases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj did suffer “limited damage”.

India, however, rejected suggestions that any bases had suffered any significant damage, with the military releasing time-stamped photos of the facilities in support of its assertion. Pakistan’s military had on Thursday claimed that the Udhampur and Pathankot bases had been “destroyed.”

Indian officials said at least five people had been killed by Pakistani missile fire on Saturday.

What else happened on May 10?

As the neighbours traded missile fire and allegations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with General Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief and widely regarded as the country’s most powerful figure, as well as with the Indian foreign minister, S Jaishankar.

According to the US State Department, Rubio urged both parties to seek ways to “deescalate” and offered American assistance in launching constructive dialogue to avoid further conflict.

How did India and Pakistan get to the brink of war?

Pakistan’s military response on Thursday followed four days of consecutive Indian attacks inside its territory and came two weeks after a deadly assault on tourists in the scenic town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22.

The attack killed 26 men, all civilians. India blamed armed groups it alleges are backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad has denied, calling instead for an “impartial, transparent” investigation that New Delhi has rejected.

Multiple witness accounts suggest the gunmen segregated the men from the women, then selected and killed non-Muslims.

India initiated strikes on May 7, targeting areas inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It claimed to have destroyed “terrorist infrastructure” and eliminated at least “100 terrorists”.

It called its attacks Operation Sindoor, a reference to the vermilion – sindoor in Hindi – the red pigment many married Hindu women apply to their foreheads. The mission’s name was an allusion to the manner in which gunmen killed tourists in Pahalgam.

Pakistan reported that the Indian strikes killed 33 people, including several children, and injured more than 50. It denied that any of the dead were fighters, as India claimed.

As the attacks unfolded, Pakistan deployed its air force in response, engaging in a battle with the Indian Air Force (IAF). Pakistan’s military claimed it downed five Indian jets, including three Rafales, the French-made aircraft considered the IAF’s most advanced assets. India has neither confirmed nor denied the losses.

Drone warfare intensifies

India responded by deploying drones and loitering munitions on May 9 and 10, hitting at least a dozen targets across Pakistan, including major urban centres such as Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

India said the drone strikes were in response to Pakistan’s use of drones, a claim Islamabad continues to reject.

“There is no credence to their claims. They continue to lie. Their allegation is false. Otherwise, where is their evidence?” Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, told Al Jazeera during a news briefing in Rawalpindi on Friday.

He added that Pakistan’s response to “Indian aggression” would come at a “time, method, and place of our choosing”.

That time came on the morning of May 10.

What does Operation Bunyan Marsoos mean?

Pakistan’s operation is titled Bunyan Marsoos, an Arabic phrase that translates as “a structure made of lead”.

The phrase originates from the Quran: “Truly God loves those who fight in His cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.”

In its Quranic context, the phrase symbolises unity and strength among believers fighting for a righteous cause.

What comes next?

Experts have repeatedly warned of the need for immediate de-escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours before the situation becomes “irreversible”.

India said on May 10 that it was willing to stop the cycle of escalation if Pakistan reciprocated.

But Kamran Bokhari, senior director at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, said Indian strikes on Pakistani airbases had dramatically escalated the conflict.

“With Pindi being hit and other airbases such as the one in Sargodha, the war has taken a turn for the worse,” he told Al Jazeera. “We are now looking at a much bigger-scale war.”

Muhammad Faisal, a South Asia security analyst at the University of Technology Sydney, said Pakistan was left with little choice but to respond forcefully.

“Pakistan can employ its latest jets in standoff mode or launch long-range missile strikes on Indian airbases that bypass air defences. During the last three days, both sides have significantly mapped each other’s air defences, and now the next round of escalation is here,” he told Al Jazeera.