NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD India has initiated “Operation Sindoor,” a series of missile strikes targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This action follows a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-controlled Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. India attributes the attack to the Resistance Front, a group it claims is supported by Pakistan. The strikes mark the most significant military escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors since 2019.
Pakistan reports that the Indian strikes resulted in at least three civilian deaths and twelve injuries, including damage to a mosque in Bahawalpur. In retaliation, Pakistan has shot down two Indian jets and a drone, and has convened its National Security Committee to address the situation.
India maintains that its actions were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” targeting nine sites linked to terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The international community has expressed concern over the potential for further escalation between the two countries.
