India attacks Pakistan

The airstrikes were in retaliation for a terrorist attack that killed more than two dozen civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago. New Delhi insisted the targets were not military facilities and that its actions were “focused, controlled and non-escalatory.”

Pakistan confirmed that five locations were attacked in Punjab province and the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir. The Pakistani government stated it would “respond at a time and place of its choosing,” and warned that “India’s momentary joy will soon be replaced by lasting pain.”

The Pakistani military said it was responding “in a controlled but forceful manner,” although it did not release details of the operation. Some residents in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, said they heard jets flying overhead. A nearby rural area — formerly a base of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group — appeared to have been hit by the airstrike.

A Pakistani military spokesman added that four other locations were also attacked, including a religious school in Bahawalpur, believed to be linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad group; along with the Kotli and Bagh areas (Pakistan-controlled Kashmir) and Muridke (Punjab).

India calls this campaign “Sindoor,” a name with deep symbolic meaning. The word alludes to the red powder that Hindu women apply to their hair after marriage – and also symbolizes the tragic loss in the April 22nd attack, when many wives witnessed their husbands being murdered.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote on social media X: "Glory to Mother India"

The massacre on April 22nd is considered one of the most serious attacks on Indian civilians in decades. 26 people were killed and more than a dozen others injured when gunmen targeted a tourist group in Kashmir. India quickly accused Pakistan of involvement, although it has not yet released concrete evidence. Pakistan denies any involvement.

Immediately after the attack, India imposed a series of sanctions, including threatening to cut off water supply from the main river system flowing into Pakistan. Indian security forces also launched a large-scale crackdown in Kashmir, arresting hundreds of people. Small-scale gunfire has continued between the two sides along the border.

US officials expressed concern about the escalation. At the White House, President Donald Trump called the development "regrettable" and hoped the conflict would "end soon."

The Indian attacks involved missiles. Pakistan asserts that no Indian aircraft entered its airspace. At the same time, Pakistan claims that civilians were killed in the airstrikes, but this information has not been independently verified.

The conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir has lasted for decades. Since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, Kashmir has remained a contentious flashpoint. Both countries control parts of the region but claim sovereignty over the entire territory. The people of Kashmir have little say in decisions about their future.

Following the 1999 war and a surge in separatist insurgency, Kashmir became one of the most militarized regions in the world. The two countries have repeatedly come close to war, most recently in 2019, when a bombing killed 40 Indian soldiers, leading to deep airstrikes into Pakistani territory and the downing of an Indian aircraft. Tensions only eased after Pakistan released the captured pilot.