N ARENDRA MODI, India’s prime minister, sounded as defiant as he did triumphant in speaking to the nation two days after a ceasefire with Pakistan. India’s four-day military operation, he said on May 12th,

India and Pakistan engaged in the most intense fighting in decades with four days of escalating conflict that included fighter jets, missiles and drones packed with explosives. It ended almost as abruptly as it began.

Pakistan said on Tuesday that it remains committed to the truce with India, agreed after four days of intense fighting last week, but vowed to respond to any future aggression by New Delhi with full resolve.

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

India and Pakistan have been pushed a step closer to war after a gun massacre of tourists on April 22, their most serious confrontation in decades.

Chinese satellite images show India's "Operation Sindoor" caused severe damage to multiple Pakistani air bases.

A ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan appears to be holding, with both sides stressing their commitment to the surprise truce which halted the worst fighting in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

With Russian forces grinding forward, Vladimir Putin has offered few, if any, concessions so far. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was willing to talk only after Moscow agreed to a ceasefire.