On May 7, 2025, tensions escalated dramatically between India and Pakistan as India launched airstrikes targeting what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" within Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Dubbed "Operation Sindoor," the Indian government reported that nine sites were hit, claiming these locations were involved in planning and executing attacks against India. The strikes followed a deadly militant attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir last month, which had already strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Explosions were reported across various locations in Pakistan, including Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where local residents described scenes of chaos and panic. Abdul Sammad, a resident of Muzaffarabad, recounted hearing multiple explosions and witnessing injuries among civilians. "People were running in panic," he said, as power outages swept through the city in the aftermath of the strikes.
According to Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the attacks resulted in the deaths of eight Pakistanis, including a three-year-old child, and left 35 others injured. Furthermore, he reported that two individuals were still missing following the strikes. The military confirmed that the Indian attacks spanned across six locations, with 24 impacts felt, intensifying fears of a broader conflict.
In response to the airstrikes, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the country had shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Dassault Rafale jets, one Sukhoi SU-30, and one Mikoyan MIG-29. He also claimed that some Indian soldiers had been taken prisoner during the skirmishes. "This has been initiated by India," Asif told Bloomberg, asserting that Pakistan would respond as long as it remained under attack.
Waqar Noor, the interior minister of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, declared an emergency in local hospitals, indicating the severity of the situation. The international community has expressed concern over the escalating violence. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint from both sides, emphasizing that the world cannot afford a military confrontation between two nuclear powers.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the airstrikes as a "heinous attack of aggression," promising that they would "not go unpunished." He affirmed that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively to what he termed an unprovoked attack. "The entire nation stands united behind its armed forces, and our morale and resolve remain unshaken," he stated on social media.
Adding to the tension, Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan's federal minister for information and broadcasting, described the Indian strikes as "cowardly" and warned that Pakistan would deliver a "crushing" response. He claimed that three Indian jets and one drone had been shot down, although this information has yet to be confirmed by independent sources.
Amidst the chaos, Qatar Airways announced the temporary suspension of flights to Pakistan due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, further complicating travel and logistics in the region.
Experts have weighed in on the implications of this latest conflict. Raji Pillai Rajagopalan from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute noted that while both nations are aware of the risks associated with nuclear escalation, a response from Pakistan is expected, especially since India has engaged in what it claims is a retaliatory strike. "There is likely to be a response from Pakistan even though India has engaged in only a retaliatory strike," she explained.
Aparna Pande from the Hudson Institute pointed out that this cycle of tension has been ongoing since 1989, with India consistently facing terror attacks linked to Pakistan-based groups. "Every few years there's a terror attack inside India which is almost always tied to a Pakistan-based terror group," she said, highlighting the pattern of escalation that often follows such incidents.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been closely monitoring the situation, echoing calls for a swift resolution to prevent further escalation. "I hope this ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution," he stated.
As the situation unfolds, the international community is urging both nations to seek de-escalation. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, emphasized the critical need for timely mediation, warning that the risks of escalation are higher now than they have been in years. "No one wants a war with the world already on fire, especially one between two nuclear rivals," he remarked.
In summary, the recent airstrikes by India and the subsequent responses from Pakistan have heightened tensions in an already volatile region. Both sides appear poised for further military action, while the international community watches closely, hoping for restraint and a return to dialogue. The ongoing conflict in Kashmir, a region steeped in historical grievances, continues to be a flashpoint for violence and instability on the subcontinent.
