India launched an aerial assault on Pakistan early Wednesday that killed 26 and injured several more, ABC News reported. The overnight attack was in retaliation for a terrorist attack last month that killed 26.
In April, an attack in the Indian section of the Kashmir region known as the Pahalgam incident claimed dozens of lives. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack launched by a terrorist organization.
However, India has retaliated with an aerial strike following a missile launch on Pakistan the day before. The latest attack is being perceived as a "blatant act of aggression" by the Pakistani military.
India disagrees with that assessment, instead calling the move "measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible." Meanwhile, the world watches as tensions ratchet up between these two nuclear-armed nations.
India launched its attack on nine strategically chosen targets, CNN reported. It claimed the aim was to avoid civilian casualties and to target "terrorist infrastructure" that supports the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organizations.
Dubbed "Operation Sindoor," the strikes lasted about 25 minutes. The name is significant as it references a cosmetic powder women wear to signify marriage, and the April strike that targeted Indian men left many widows.
The strikes were carried out in six locations with a total of 24 hits. Footage of the strikes, including in the province of Punjab, which is heavily populated, was shared on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday by EurAsian Times.
"Strikes hit camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. India says the operations were measured and non-escalatory, focusing only on terrorist infrastructure, not military assets. Still, Pakistan called it 'an act of war,'" the account noted.
Strikes hit camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. India says the operations were measured and non-escalatory, focusing only on terrorist infrastructure, not military assets. Still, Pakistan called it “an act of war.” pic.twitter.com/uxMLJ7OBSh
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) May 7, 2025
During the strike, Pakistan claims it shot down a drone and five jets belonging to the Indian Air Force. India has yet to confirm that any planes, including three thought to be highly valued Rafale jets, were lost in the attack.
The world is facing a new threat with this conflict, as both nations have nuclear weapons. In an address to his nation on Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had "every right" to counterattack as India engaged in an "act of war."
Sharif pledged that the Pakistani military would "avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives." The two nations have previously fought over Kashmir, with both making claims to the area.
The Indian-controlled territory is majority Hindu, while Pakistan controls a majority Muslim area. With this conflict already a tinderbox, the latest moves could escalate the conflict and have a ripple effect worldwide.
These foreign skirmishes destabilize the world, but America doesn't need to jump in and take sides just yet. These disagreements go back generations, and the U.S. has spilled too much blood and spent too much money getting involved elsewhere in these types of disputes.
