India Strikes Pakistan Over Tourist Killings, Pakistan Says Indian Jets Downed

Operation Sindoor: Rising Tensions Between India and Pakistan

Following a fragile ceasefire agreement first established in 2003 and reaffirmed in 2021, cross-border strikes between India and Pakistan have become rare—especially those targeting areas beyond the disputed Pakistani-administered Kashmir. However, that changed recently with an Indian military operation called "Operation Sindoor." The name, referring to a red vermilion powder worn by Hindu women as a symbol of marriage, marked a striking and symbolic shift in tone from New Delhi.

Analysts suggest that this operation represents one of the most serious escalations in recent years, increasing the risk of a wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in, calling the violence "a shame" and expressing hope for a swift end. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with national security advisers from both nations, urging open communication and de-escalation. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also called for restraint, as did China, which shares borders with both countries.

The aftermath of the Indian airstrikes was visible in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where a mosque suffered significant damage. Videos aired on Indian television showed explosions lighting up the night sky and civilians fleeing impacted areas in both Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir. Reuters, however, was unable to verify the authenticity of these videos.

Casualties have been reported on both sides. In Indian-administered Kashmir, shelling from the Pakistani side killed seven civilians and injured dozens more, local police said. In Pakistan, two mortars struck a home in Forward Kahuta, killing two men and injuring multiple women and children, according to regional officials. Another civilian was reported killed in separate firing.

As tensions flared, schools across Pakistani Kashmir, Islamabad, parts of Indian Kashmir, and Pakistan’s Punjab province were closed as a precaution. Punjab province also declared an emergency, with hospitals and emergency services placed on high alert.

A spokesperson for Pakistan’s military told local broadcaster Geo that two mosques were among the targets hit in the Indian strikes. Pakistan’s Defence Minister denied Indian claims that militant camps were attacked, stating that all affected sites were civilian.

Despite the backlash, the Indian Army declared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account: “Justice is served.”

Reuters, May 7, MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan/NEW DELHI In the most intense conflict between the nuclear-armed adversaries in over 20 years, India launched an attack on Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday. Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets.
India claimed to have hit nine "terrorist infrastructure" sites in Pakistan, some of which were connected to the 26-person Islamist militant attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month.
None of the six targets, according to Islamabad, were militant camps in Pakistan. According to a Pakistani military spokesperson, at least 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured.
According to an Indian defense source who spoke to Reuters, Indian forces stormed the headquarters of Islamist militant organizations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.