On May 6, 2025, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a coordinated missile campaign targeting nine sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This operation was carried out in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead—primarily Hindu tourists. India attributed the attack to militant groups based in Pakistan, notably Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Indian military officials described the strikes as “precise, calculated, and non-escalatory,” stressing that the targets were terrorist facilities and that Pakistani military installations were deliberately avoided. The operation, which lasted 23 minutes, involved Rafale fighter jets armed with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs.
After the strikes, the Indian Army posted statements on social media reading “Justice is Served” and “Victory to India,” underscoring a narrative of retribution for the Pahalgam incident.
Pakistan denounced the missile strikes as a “heinous provocation” and labeled them an “act of war.” According to the Pakistani military, the attacks resulted in 26 civilian deaths and 46 injuries, claiming the missiles hit residential areas and mosques in cities including Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, and Muridke.
In retaliation, Pakistan announced it had downed five Indian fighter jets and pledged to respond “at a time and place of its own choosing.” Since then, cross-border artillery fire has escalated along the Line of Control, causing further civilian casualties on both sides.
The global community has voiced serious concern over the growing tensions. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, along with leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, and China, has called for restraint and encouraged both nations to pursue diplomatic dialogue to avoid further escalation.
This standoff represents one of the gravest India-Pakistan confrontations since 2019. The suspension of critical accords such as the Indus Waters Treaty and the Shimla Agreement, combined with the breakdown of diplomatic communication, has significantly increased the risk of a wider conflict.
