Pakistan has initiated a series of retaliatory missile and drone strikes against India, marking the most severe military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in decades.
On April 22, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists, including 25 Hindus and one Nepalese national. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility but later denied involvement. India accused Pakistan of supporting the attackers, a claim Pakistan denies.
On April 28, Pakistan’s defense minister said that they would only use their nuclear weapons arsenal if there is a direct threat to our existence.”
On May 6, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” conducting missile strikes on nine sites in Pakistan, targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure. Pakistan reported civilian casualties, including the deaths of at least eight people.
“I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern,” said India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Following India’s attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif said India had made a “grave mistake for which it must now pay the price.”
WATCH:
JUST IN: Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif says India made a “grave mistake for which it must now pay the price.” pic.twitter.com/Y6MQeUQvrt
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) May 7, 2025
On May 7, Pakistan responded with “Operation Bunyan al-Marsus,” targeting multiple Indian military sites. Both nations employed drones and missile systems, marking the first instance of drone warfare between nuclear-armed countries.
India reported intercepting several Pakistani drones, while Pakistan claimed to have shot down multiple Indian drones.
On Saturday, Pakistan launched further retaliatory strikes, targeting Indian military sites, Army hospitals, and civil infrastructure.
“Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India’s military sites. India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via Air at more than 26 places, and they damaged our equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab’s air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools,” said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, according to the Times of India.
“Pakistan’s aggressive stance on the Western Front continued and tired to target the Indian Army. Attacked 26 locations from Srinagar to Chhalliya. Damage reported in airbases in Udhampur, Adampur, Pathankot, and Bathinda. Pakistan targeted Army hospitals in Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur,” she added.
More from the Times of India:
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh accused Pakistan of moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation.
“Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately,” Singh said.
“Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates,” she added.
Further, Qureshi said that the that the armed forces, in a punitive action, carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets.
“In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets,” she said.
“Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan,” she added.
OPERATION SINDOOR
Pakistan’s blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were… pic.twitter.com/BrfEzrZBuC
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 10, 2025
Pakistan continued its hostilities on 10 May 2025 by targeting places of worship like the famous Shambhu Temple and residential areas in Jammu. Multiple armed drones have been sent through the night, endangering civilians and religious sites. The Indian Armed Forces remain… pic.twitter.com/o317h7XChC
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 10, 2025
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