India on Tuesday launched missiles at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir in a retaliatory operation dubbed “Operation Sindoor.”
The strikes came in response to last month’s Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which killed 26 people. The strikes were aimed at what New Delhi described as terrorist infrastructure rather than military targets.
A statement from the Indian Armed Forces announced that the missiles hit sites “from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” noting that considerable restraint was shown in the selection of targets and methods of execution.
Officials explained that no Pakistani military installations were struck, underlining New Delhi’s intention to avoid a broader military escalation.
Pakistani authorities confirmed at least eight fatalities and 38 wounded in the raids, including civilians and one child.
Pakistan’s Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry vowed that “this heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” warning that Islamabad would retaliate at a time and place of its choosing. He described the strikes as a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
The disputed Kashmir region, partitioned in 1947, remains a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
India has accused Pakistan of harboring and supporting the militants behind the Pahalgam attack, though Islamabad denies any involvement. Both nations claim sovereignty over the entire territory, which China also contests in smaller swaths.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern over the rising tensions while offering condolences to the victims of the Kashmir atrocity.
Rubio pledged continued cooperation with Indian authorities to combat terrorism, even as he urged both sides to exercise restraint and seek diplomatic channels to prevent further escalation.
With each country holding roughly 170 warheads, the stakes of any military exchange carry grave implications. As India and Pakistan brace for what could be a sharp uptick in hostilities, world leaders will be watching closely to see whether Operation Sindoor marks a fleeting act of retribution or the beginning of a deeper conflict.