Tensions have sharply escalated in South Asia after India launched missile strikes on May 6, 2025, targeting areas in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation, named Operation Sindoor, was carried out in response to a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including several tourists.
According to Indian officials, the strikes were aimed at terrorist infrastructure allegedly linked to the perpetrators of the April 22 attack. Locations targeted included Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province. India emphasized that the operation was “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” and stated that no Pakistani military facilities were hit.
Pakistan, however, reported civilian casualties, including children, and damage to places of worship such as mosques. Pakistani authorities condemned the operation as “unprovoked aggression,” strongly denying any connection to the earlier militant incident. In response, Pakistan claimed to have downed several Indian jets and launched retaliatory missile strikes into Indian-administered Kashmir on May 7.
Explosions and widespread power outages were reported in Muzaffarabad following the Indian strikes. The exchange has intensified fears of further escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, both of whom have a long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region.
As the situation develops, the international community is urging restraint and dialogue to prevent further conflict.
