Indian Missile Strikes Target Terror Camps; Pakistan Calls It ‘Act of War’ and Vows Response
Islamabad/New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on Wednesday after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precision missile strikes targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation was carried out in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” with no Pakistani military installations targeted. “Our actions were aimed solely at eliminating terrorist infrastructure from which attacks against India have been planned and directed,” the ministry stated. A detailed briefing on Operation Sindoor is expected later.
The Indian Army, in a post on X, declared: “Justice is served. Jai Hind!” Earlier, it had posted: “प्रहाराय सन्निहिताः, जयाय प्रशिक्षिताः” (“Ready to strike, trained to win”).
Pakistan Confirms Strikes, Scrambles Jets
Pakistan’s military confirmed the missile strikes on three locations: Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and the Ahmed East area of Bahawalpur. Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that the Indian Air Force launched the strikes from within Indian airspace using standoff weapons. He claimed that one child was killed, and a man and a woman were seriously injured in the attacks, including one on the Subhanullah Mosque in Bahawalpur.
“All of our air force jets are airborne,” said Lt Gen Chaudhry, adding, “Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its choosing.” He labeled the attack as “cowardly and shameful,” asserting that India had violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and posed a grave threat to civilian and commercial air traffic. A citywide blackout was reported in Muzaffarabad following loud explosions.
Political Fallout and International Reactions
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, condemned the strike as an “unprovoked and blatant act of war.” In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Dar claimed the attacks violated the UN Charter and international norms. He emphasized that Pakistan “reserves the right to respond in accordance with international law.”
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif escalated the rhetoric, stating that a clash with India is now “inevitable” and could occur “at any moment.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the developments, saying the escalation was not unexpected. “They’ve been fighting for a long time—decades, even centuries. I hope it ends very quickly,” he told reporters. The U.S. State Department acknowledged the situation but refrained from offering an immediate assessment.
Background
The missile strikes follow weeks of rising tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack in India, which New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-based terror outfits. Islamabad has denied involvement and offered to cooperate in an independent investigation.
As the region braces for possible retaliation, both militaries remain on high alert. India has reiterated that its objective was counter-terrorism, not escalation, while Pakistan has framed the strikes as an assault on its sovereignty, signaling a volatile turn in bilateral relations.
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