India launched military strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, resulting in at least eight deaths. Pakistan condemned the action as a “blatant act of war,” as tensions escalated into the most serious fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in over 20 years.
The assault follows a deadly attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 Hindu tourists were killed by suspected Islamist militants. India blamed Pakistan-based groups for the attack, a claim Islamabad has firmly denied.
India’s operation, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” targeted what it described as nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites used to plan attacks. Pakistan confirmed six of its locations were hit. Indian defense sources said key militant group bases—Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—were among the targets. Indian officials emphasized that their military had exercised restraint in choosing targets and tactics.
Pakistan reported missile strikes on three sites and claimed it downed five Indian aircraft—claims New Delhi has not confirmed. The two sides also exchanged heavy shelling and gunfire along the Line of Control in Kashmir, according to police and eyewitnesses.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry accused India of using long-range weapons to hit civilian areas while remaining in Indian airspace. It described the strikes as “unprovoked” and a “gross violation of sovereignty.”
Since the 2003 ceasefire agreement, which was reaffirmed in 2021, cross-border military operations have been rare, particularly Indian strikes outside Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Wednesday’s escalation disrupted power in Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, and left dozens injured or missing, according to Pakistani military sources.
Indian media, citing government sources, claimed 12 militants were killed and at least 55 others wounded in the strikes. Reuters could not independently verify those figures.
Television footage broadcast in India showed flames, explosions, and heavy smoke across several sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir, although independent confirmation was not immediately available. Residents on both sides of the border reported hearing jets, shelling, and loud blasts.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country would respond but gave no specifics. U.S. President Donald Trump called the situation “shameful” and urged a quick resolution. The United Nations Secretary-General urged both countries to show “maximum restraint.”
Pakistan’s Punjab province declared a state of emergency, with hospitals and emergency services on high alert. Pakistani officials claimed that mosques and civilian structures were among the sites hit, rejecting India’s assertion that only militant targets were struck.
India’s military posted a message on the X social media platform: “Justice is served.” Indian officials reiterated their belief that Pakistan-based militants were behind the April attack, claiming two suspects were Pakistani nationals. Pakistan continues to deny any involvement.
The escalation rattled financial markets, with India’s NSE Nifty 50 index falling by 1.19% in early futures trading. Multiple airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Qatar Airways, suspended flights in affected areas due to airspace and airport closures.
The operation’s name, Sindoor—a traditional red powder worn by married Hindu women—appears to symbolically reference the 26 widowed women whose husbands were killed in April’s attack.
Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Indian officials also briefed counterparts in the UK, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE about the operation.
This strike marks a significant escalation in India’s military posture, surpassing past responses such as the 2019 Balakot airstrikes and the 2016 “surgical strikes” following militant attacks.
