The Indian Defense Ministry reported that on the night of May 7, the armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine locations in Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian Defense Ministry announced that on the night of May 7, its armed forces initiated Operation Sindoor, targeting nine locations in Pakistan.
The military agency stated that these strikes aimed to "address the roots of cross-border terrorism." In response, the Samaa TV channel reported that Pakistan has closed its airspace for 48 hours and conducted retaliatory strikes.
The Indian Defense Ministry announced that on the night of May 7, the armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine targets in Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ministry emphasized that these strikes aimed to "target the roots of cross-border terror planning." It also clarified that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted during the operation.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that India had intelligence regarding new terror attacks being planned by Pakistan and, by launching Operation Sindoor, exercised its right to preemptively address the threat.
Under Operation Sindoor, India identified nine terrorist camps that were targeted. This information was released by the PTI agency.
The identified camps include those of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group located in Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, Sarjal, and Kotli; the Lashkar-e-Taiba (designated as a terrorist organization in Russia) in Muridke, Barnala, and Muzaffarabad; and Hizbul Mujahideen in Sialkot and Kotli.
According to News18 TV, 17 terrorists were killed and 60 were injured during the operation. In contrast, the Pakistani armed forces reported that 26 people died and 46 were wounded.
Samaa TV reported that Pakistan closed its airspace for 48 hours and conducted retaliatory strikes. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan has the right to take retaliatory measures.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Indian armed forces of targeting civilians in their strikes. He further asserted that Pakistan will refrain from escalating tensions in its conflict with India, provided that India ceases Operation Sindoor and other aggressive actions.
The Pakistani military reported that five Indian fighter jets were shot down. Pakistani Defense Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that Pakistan's air force has not lost any aircraft, emphasizing that all downed planes occurred within Indian airspace.
According to Reuters, citing local police, the death toll from a Pakistani shelling attack along the Line of Control in India's Jammu and Kashmir union territory has risen to ten, with 48 others injured.
International Response
China's Foreign Ministry has called on India and Pakistan to refrain from actions that could lead to escalation.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Pakistani Director-General of Inter-Service Intelligence Muhammad Asim Malik. He urged both parties to maintain open communication and avoid escalating tensions.
The United Arab Emirates has urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint to prevent any escalation of the conflict that could jeopardize regional security.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern over the escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan. The agency called for all parties involved to exercise restraint to avoid further worsening of the situation in the region.
Causes of Escalation
Relations between India and Pakistan worsened after a terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, located in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian citizens and one Nepalese national.
India asserted that it possesses evidence linking the attack to the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which is associated with the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence. In response, New Delhi and Islamabad implemented reciprocal restrictions on diplomatic personnel, halted all bilateral relations, and closed their airspace to each other's aircraft.
