In a rapid overnight military operation, India launched coordinated air and missile strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting what it described as militant bases based on “credible intelligence.”
The strikes took place between 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM Indian Standard Time (19:35–20:00 GMT), with powerful explosions waking residents across the region.
Pakistan responded by confirming strikes on six sites and claimed it had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a drone. India has not confirmed these claims.
According to Pakistani officials, 26 people were killed and 46 others injured due to the Indian strikes and artillery shelling across the Line of Control (LoC)—the contested border area between the two countries. Meanwhile, India reported that 10 civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling on its side of the LoC.
This latest escalation has heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, drawing concern from the international community over regional stability.
Does this attack mark a new escalation?
India Launches Major Cross-Border Strikes After Pahalgam Attack
India has conducted a wide-ranging military operation targeting militant infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in what experts are calling one of the most extensive retaliatory actions in recent years.
The strikes follow a deadly attack in Pahalgam that reignited tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Indian officials say the operation marks a significant shift in strategy, simultaneously targeting the infrastructure of three major Pakistan-based militant groups: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Background of Escalating Tensions
- In 2016, India launched “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control (LoC) following the killing of 19 soldiers in Uri.
- In 2019, after the Pulwama bombing claimed the lives of 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, India carried out airstrikes in Balakot, marking the first such attack deep inside Pakistan since the 1971 war.
Details of the 2025 Strikes
According to Indian officials, nine militant targets were struck:
- Sialkot: Two camps, located just 6–18 km from the border.
- Muzaffarabad: A Lashkar-e-Taiba base, 30 km from the LoC, allegedly linked to recent attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.
- Bahawalpur: A Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters, 100 km inside Pakistan—the deepest strike in this operation.
Pakistan, however, confirmed that only six locations were hit and denied the presence of militant camps in the targeted areas.
Strategic Significance
Analysts note that the retaliation is unprecedented in its geographic reach and coordinated targeting. The move is likely intended to dismantle militant networks and send a strong political message amid ongoing regional unrest.