Srinagar, May 7 — India has launched a series of missile strikes on targets across Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir in a military operation dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” triggering the most serious escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors since Balakot in 2019.
The strikes, which began in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, reportedly hit nine locations — including six cities in Pakistan, with four in Punjab province and two in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (Muzaffarabad and Kotli), marking the first time Indian weapons have struck Pakistan’s Punjab since the 1971 war.
According to Pakistan, 26 people have been killed and 46 injured, with officials labeling the attack an “act of war” and vowing retaliation.
JeM chief Masood Azhar confirmed that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in an Indian missile strike on the group’s headquarters at Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur. Victims included Azhar’s sister, her husband, his nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children, as well as three aides, including the mother of one, according to PTI reports.
In response, Pakistan scrambled fighter jets and claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft, though India has yet to confirm or deny the claim. Wreckage believed to be aircraft debris was recovered in Pulwama, South Kashmir.
“Justice is served,” India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the operation with the words, “Victory to Mother India.”
The Indian attack on Pakistan follows the April 22 Pahalgam attacks, where 26 Indian tourists were gunned down in an attack New Delhi blames on Pakistan-backed militants. Though Islamabad denies involvement, Indian officials argue the strikes were a measured response to “cross-border terrorism.”
However, search operations continue in Kashmir’s forests to trace the April 22 attackers.
Meanwhile, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said: “Pakistan bombed civilian areas and targeted civilians; they started it, not us. India has only targeted terrorist sites in Pakistan, without affecting civilians or military areas,” he said.
“None of us want war. We want stability to return — but Pakistan must lower their weapons first.”
Pakistan’s Defence Minister insisted that the sites hit were civilian and not militant infrastructure, contradicting India’s narrative.
Flights have been canceled in Karachi, and tensions remain high across both borders.
Political unity has emerged in India. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the party was “extremely proud” of the armed forces and called for solidarity.
“We applaud their resolute resolve and courage,” he said.
The name carries heavy symbolism. Sindoor, a red pigment worn by married Hindu women, is believed to reference how the Pahalgam attackers separated men from women and targeted Hindu males, leaving their wives — identifiable by their sindoor — widowed.
The situation remains volatile, and the next move — diplomatic or military — could determine whether the escalation spirals further.