Pakistan on Monday test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile, Fatah, capable of striking targets up to 120 kilometers away. The launch, part of a military exercise named Exercise INDUS (Ex INDUS), was confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military.

According to ISPR, the flight test was conducted to validate the missile’s design and performance. The Fatah missile is positioned as a key element of Pakistan’s tactical strike capabilities. Senior army leadership, as well as scientists and engineers from strategic organizations, were present to oversee the launch.

This marks Pakistan’s second missile test in as many days, following its training launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface missile system on Saturday. Both tests come in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead and has significantly worsened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

In response to the attack, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned on April 24 that those responsible—and their supporters—would face punishment. During a high-level defense meeting on April 29, Modi granted the armed forces “complete operational freedom” to decide the timing, location, and nature of India’s response, according to PTI sources. The back-to-back missile launches underscore the deepening standoff between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Times of India.