Updated May 7, 2025 at 8:22 AM EDT
In a significant escalation of hostilities, India executed military strikes across multiple locations in Pakistan and areas under Pakistani control early Wednesday. This operation marks a heightened phase in the prolonged conflict between the two nuclear nations.
The operation, termed Operation Sindoor by India, targeted nine locations that were identified as sites from where terrorist activities against India had been orchestrated, according to the Indian military.
The Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., confirmed the precision of the strikes in a social media post, stating that “only known terror camps were targeted.”
Reports from The Associated Press later revealed that 31 individuals had died in Pakistan, while Indian-controlled Kashmir saw at least seven fatalities. The situation has led several Indian airlines to cancel flights to the region.
Roots of the Recent Escalation
The recent surge in conflict was ignited by attacks on April 22, where gunmen claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists and injured many others in India-administered Kashmir. India attributed these attacks to Pakistan, marking it as one of the deadliest assaults on Indian civilians in over ten years. The Indian Defense Ministry indicated that the strikes on Pakistan were a countermeasure to these killings, as stated in their communication.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif fiercely criticized the Indian strikes, asserting Pakistan’s right to retaliate strongly.
Sharif expressed on social media that “Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given.” He assured that “the Pakistani nation and the Pakistani armed forces know how to deal with the enemy.”
In response to the conflict, President Trump, when questioned by a reporter at the White House, remarked on the longstanding nature of the conflict, expressing hope for a swift resolution.
Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, relayed the U.N. chief’s call for “maximum military restraint” from both nations, emphasizing the global imperative to avoid war between the two countries.
Copyright 2025 NPR
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