India Launches Missile Strikes on Pakistan in Operation Sindoor

In a major escalation of regional tensions, the Indian Army has carried out missile strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under a military operation named "Operation Sindoor." The strikes, conducted in the early hours of May 6, 2025, were in response to the April 22 incident in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including Indian and Nepali tourists. India holds the Pakistan-based Islamic Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible.

The Indian Ministry of Defence stated that the strikes were precisely targeted at specific infrastructure and deliberately avoided Pakistani military installations. Key targets included sites in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bahawalpur. Eyewitnesses in Muzaffarabad reported multiple explosions and widespread power outages following the attack.

In response, Pakistan condemned the strikes, confirmed civilian casualties—including the death of a child—and closed its airspace for 48 hours. The Pakistani military has warned of retaliation at a time of its choosing, calling the Indian action a “heinous provocation.”

The situation has further deteriorated with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and trade routes, while diplomatic efforts by international actors are intensifying to prevent a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.