From Narayan Das in New Delhi and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad
May 7, 2025 — India launched a series of air and missile strikes into Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir late Tuesday night, in what New Delhi described as a targeted military response to a recent deadly shooting of civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the strikes hit nine locations identified as militant infrastructure, including sites in Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as well as a compound in Bahawalpur, Pakistan’s Punjab province. Officials called the operation a “precision, counter-terrorist measure” and emphasized that it was “measured and non-escalatory.”
The strikes were launched in retaliation for the April 22 attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, where gunmen opened fire on a group of domestic tourists, killing 26. The Resistance Front, a group India links to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility. Indian authorities have accused Pakistan of supporting such groups—an allegation Islamabad denies.
Pakistan condemned the strikes as “an unprovoked act of aggression,” claiming Indian aircraft violated its airspace. The Pakistani military reported shooting down five Indian fighter jets and one drone. It said at least 26 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 46 injured. These figures could not be independently confirmed.
Heavy artillery exchanges erupted across the Line of Control in the hours following the strikes. Pakistan reported six additional civilian deaths in the border region, while India said eight civilians were killed and 47 injured in retaliatory fire.
International reaction has been wift. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both nations to “exercise maximum restraint” and avoid further escalation. China, the European Union, and other global actors have echoed calls for dialogue and de-escalation.
Both countries remain on high alert, with additional troop movements reported along the border. Analysts warn the situation could deteriorate rapidly if either side escalates further-
GDMAIL International Desk