In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, India launched Operation Sindoor, a focused military strike targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The retaliatory action follows last month’s deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives—mainly tourists. India has blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation Islamabad has strongly denied.
A New Wave of Conflict Unfolds
According to Indian officials, the military operation was designed to be precise and non-escalatory, aimed solely at disrupting terrorist camps used to orchestrate cross-border attacks. In a statement, India’s government said:
“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.”
Missiles reportedly struck various locations across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and eastern Punjab, including cities like Muzaffarabad and Kotli. India emphasized that it exercised considerable restraint in both the choice of targets and the method of execution.
Pakistan Responds with Force
In response, Pakistan launched counterattacks, claiming to have shot down five Indian aircraft and taken several soldiers as prisoners. Pakistani authorities reported that at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured during the Indian strikes. There are also reports of mosques being hit, including one in Bahawalpur, where a child lost his life and two civilians were wounded.
A Pakistani military spokesperson confirmed that five locations were hit, and intense shelling has now resumed along the Line of Control (LoC).
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that Pakistan is “now responding to that Indian attack” and vowed further action if provoked again.
Global Reactions: A Call for Restraint
The international community has expressed deep concern over the sudden escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stern warning, urging both nations to exercise maximum restraint.
“The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” his spokesperson stated.
US President Donald Trump described the clashes as “a shame”, expressing hope that tensions would cool down quickly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also shared concern and is closely monitoring the developments.
Experts Warn of Serious Consequences
Several analysts have described this conflict as more intense than the 2019 India-Pakistan crisis.
Praveen Donthi, Senior Analyst at International Crisis Group, stated that “domestic emotions are running high on both sides”, increasing the likelihood of further escalation.
Meanwhile, academic Nitasha Kaul warned that Kashmiris will once again bear the brunt of the geopolitical conflict:
“The worst affected are going to be the people in the region, the Kashmiris, who are caught between rival postures of India and Pakistan.”
Kaul added that the escalation is not entirely surprising, given the political environment in India and the domestic pressure for a stronger military response.