What We Know About India’s Strike on Pakistan and Pakistan-Administered Kashmir

Two weeks after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, India has launched a series of strikes on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation, named Operation Sindoor, was described by the Indian Ministry of Defence as part of a “commitment” to hold those responsible for the 22 April attack in Pahalgam accountable. This attack resulted in the deaths of 25 Indians and one Nepali national.

Pakistan’s Response

However, Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack, labelling India’s actions as “unprovoked”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes as a “heinous act of aggression” and vowed that it “will not go unpunished”. He further stated on Wednesday that the Pahalgam attack was “not related” to Pakistan, adding that his country had been “accused for the wrong” reasons.

Impact of the Strikes (as of 8 May 2025)

Pakistan’s military claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft and one drone in response, though India has yet to confirm these claims.

Locations of the Strikes

India announced in the early hours of Wednesday that it had targeted nine different locations in both Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Pakistan. These sites were described as “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan and direct attacks. India insisted that it had avoided hitting Pakistani military installations, stating its actions were “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”.

Pakistan, however, provided a different account. It initially reported that the strikes had hit three areas:

Later, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif of the Pakistani military claimed that six locations had been struck.

Reason for the Attack

The strikes follow weeks of rising tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours over the 22 April Pahalgam attack, where 26 people were killed, including tourists. Survivors reported that militants were targeting Hindu men, making it the worst attack on civilians in the region in two decades.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the perpetrators “till the ends of the Earth” and warned that those responsible “will be punished beyond their imagination”. On 7 May, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri alleged that the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, based in Pakistan, was behind the attack – a claim that Pakistan has strongly denied.

Kashmir – A Perpetual Flashpoint

Kashmir remains a contentious issue between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the region in full but administer it in part. The two nations have fought two full-scale wars over the territory since their partition in 1947, and the area remains a significant source of friction.

In recent years, tensions have been escalated by militant attacks. In 2016, India launched “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control (LoC) following the killing of 19 Indian soldiers in Uri. In 2019, the Pulwama bombing, which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, prompted India to launch airstrikes deep into Balakot, Pakistan, marking the first such action inside Pakistani territory since 1971.

International Reactions

Global leaders have called for restraint to prevent further escalation:

The situation remains tense, with both sides poised for further escalation if diplomatic efforts fail.