India conducted a series of missile strikes targeting multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, under the codename Operation Sindoor. The Indian government claimed the operation was a direct response to the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where 26 civilians — many of them Hindu pilgrims — lost their lives.
The missiles reportedly struck areas in Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, along with sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke in Pakistan’s Punjab province. According to Indian officials, the strikes were “precise and restrained,” aimed specifically at infrastructure linked to terrorist groups without crossing Pakistani airspace or targeting military installations.
Pakistan strongly condemned the strikes, labeling them an “act of war.” Officials reported at least three civilian casualties, including a child, and over a dozen injuries. A mosque in Bahawalpur was also damaged. In a counterclaim, Pakistan’s military asserted it had shot down two Indian jets and a helicopter — an allegation India has not confirmed.
The Pakistani government responded by declaring a state of emergency in Punjab, halting civil air operations, and warning of a robust retaliation. Diplomatic relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated further, with both sides expelling diplomats and suspending critical bilateral agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty.
As tensions escalate, the international community is urging both countries to exercise restraint and return to dialogue to prevent a broader conflict.
