In a major escalation between nuclear-armed neighbors, India launched a series of strikes on Wednesday targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The strikes, part of what New Delhi has dubbed Operation Sindoor, follow a deadly militant attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month that killed 26 people. India claims the attackers were linked to Pakistan-based groups.
Pakistan reported at least 26 civilians killed and 46 injured in the strikes, which Islamabad described as a “blatant act of war.” A military spokesperson said six sites were targeted, all civilian in nature, denying India’s assertion that “terrorist infrastructure” was hit. Among the targets, according to Indian sources, were facilities operated by militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan responded by claiming it had shot down five Indian fighter jets. While India has not confirmed the claim, local sources in Indian Kashmir told Reuters that three jets had crashed in separate areas, with all pilots hospitalized. Images shared on social media showed debris from at least one crash site, though Reuters could not verify their authenticity.
India’s Defence Ministry stated the strikes were executed with “considerable restraint” and focused only on carefully chosen targets. Pakistan’s military, however, characterized the Indian offensive as unjustified and warned of consequences. “We will take all steps necessary to defend the sovereignty of Pakistan,” said military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.
The cross-border violence included heavy shelling and gunfire along the Line of Control in Kashmir, a region contested by both nations since their independence from British rule in 1947. Two of their three wars have been fought over Kashmir, and while a 2003 ceasefire had largely held—with both sides reaffirming it in 2021—Wednesday’s events mark a sharp departure.
The Indian operation, named Sindoor—a reference to the red powder worn by married Hindu women—was viewed by analysts as a significant escalation beyond prior retaliatory strikes, including India’s 2019 Balakot airstrike following the killing of 40 paramilitary soldiers.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pakistan was responding but gave no further details. Schools were closed across Pakistani Kashmir, Islamabad, and parts of India’s Kashmir region and Punjab province as tensions soared. In Pakistani Kashmir’s Forward Kahuta, mortars reportedly struck a home, killing two men and injuring women and children.
Videos on Indian media showed explosions, fire, and smoke in various locations in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir. Reuters could not independently verify the footage. In Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani Kashmir, damage from Indian strikes was visible, with security forces cordoning off a mosque whose minaret had collapsed in the attack.
Pakistan’s defence minister insisted the Indian targets were not militant camps and claimed two mosques had been struck. “India’s claim of targeting terrorist camps is false,” he said.
Global leaders urged restraint. U.S. President Donald Trump called the fighting “a shame” and hoped for a swift end. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with national security advisers from both countries to encourage open communication. The UN and China also called for calm.
The strikes also had ripple effects on regional infrastructure and markets. Indian stock futures dipped slightly, and several airlines—including IndiGo, Air India, and Qatar Airways—cancelled flights due to airspace closures.
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval briefed officials in the U.S., UK, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Meanwhile, Washington-based analyst Michael Kugelman warned that this could mark the beginning of a more serious crisis: “We’ve had a strike and a counter-strike. What comes next will indicate how deep this conflict may go.”
