India Launches Operation Sindoor: Precision Strikes Target Terror Infrastructure in Pakistan

New Delhi/Islamabad – May 7, 2025: In a shocking heightening of tensions between Pakistan and India, the Indian Armed Forces conducted a coordinated set of missile strikes under “Operation Sindoor” on May 6. Nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were hit in response to the terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

The Ministry of Defence affirmed that the attacks targeted dismantling the terrorist infrastructure of groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. The attacked areas allegedly covered Bahawalpur, Muridke, Tehra Kalan, Sialkot, Bhimber, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad—familiar hotspots of extremist activity.

The attack was conducted with state-of-the-art air-launched missile systems such as SCALP and AASM Hammer missiles launched from Rafale fighter jets. The entire operation took about 23 minutes and was reported by Indian authorities as “precise, proportionate, and non-escalatory.”

We were acting in self-defense, with a focused and targeted action,” an Indian defense spokesperson said. “We took every precaution to minimize civilian casualties while targeting terrorist training and lodging facilities responsible for the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan, on the other hand, condemned the strikes as an “unprovoked act of aggression.” The Pakistani military reported having downed five Indian planes and a drone. At least nine civilians were reported killed and 38 injured by local authorities, with several buildings, including places of worship, damaged.

Pakistan put its army on high alert and called an emergency meeting of its National Security Council. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a warning of “serious consequences” and asked the international community to act.

The global reaction has been quick and concerned. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged both nuclear powers to practice “maximum restraint” and called for restraint to prevent more escalation. U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing the nation from Washington, called the attacks “regrettable” and asked both sides to de-escalate at once.

In India, the strikes were widely supported politically and by the public. Most opposition leaders fully supported the decision of the government, terming it a retaliation against a “barbaric attack on innocent civilians.” Security has been ramped up at border areas as both countries wait for possible retaliatory actions.

This is the most severe military confrontation between India and Pakistan after the Balakot airstrikes of 2019. Experts are cautioning that further hostilities can escalate into a larger war if diplomatic avenues fail to control the situation.

So far, no official talks between Islamabad and New Delhi have been announced. At the same time, world powers are appealing to both countries to pull back from the precipice and pursue dialogue rather than confrontation.