India Launches Strikes on Terror Camps in Pakistan After Kashmir Attack
| 2025-05-07
A damaged building is seen in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan, following an Indian missile strike on May 7, 2025.
India strikes nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir after deadly Kashmir attack, killing over 70 militants, officials say.
India strikes terror camps in Pakistan after Kashmir attack kills 26
India has carried out coordinated missile strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to a deadly terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, according to Indian government officials. The operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, targeted nine suspected militant camps and resulted in the deaths of over 70 militants, Indian sources say.
The strikes, executed between 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM on 7 May, involved simultaneous participation by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian officials described the mission as a "measured and proportionate" response to the 22 April assault in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people including one foreign national.
Strategic targets struck across Pakistan and PoK
According to Indian officials, the missile strikes targeted sites in both mainland Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK). Locations included Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, Bhimber, Kotli, and Rawalakot—areas Indian intelligence agencies have long suspected of hosting training and logistical bases for militant groups.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi, stated the strikes were based on credible intelligence suggesting imminent attacks against Indian targets. "Our actions were focused on dismantling the terrorists’ infrastructure. They were precise, proportionate and designed to minimise civilian harm," he said.
Colonel Sophia Qureshi, who also addressed the briefing, said the operation aimed to disrupt long-standing networks of recruitment, training, and infiltration across the border. “For the last three decades, Pakistan has constructed terror infrastructure in the region. This operation was intended to dismantle those facilities,” she said.
Details of the assault
According to Indian defence sources, the coordinated barrage lasted 25 minutes and involved a mix of air- and ground-launched precision-guided munitions. Rafale jets were reportedly used, armed with SCALP cruise missiles and Hammer bombs capable of deep-penetration strikes.
Reconnaissance footage captured by surveillance drones indicated successful strikes on training centres, arms depots, and command facilities. Indian officials said the operation deliberately avoided Pakistani military sites to prevent escalation, and that UAV monitoring helped ensure minimal civilian casualties.
At least 70 militants were killed and more than 60 others wounded, Indian sources said. Among the locations targeted, Bahawalpur is known as a historical base of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group, while Muzaffarabad has previously been identified as a launchpad for infiltration into Indian-administered Kashmir.
Pakistan’s response and rising tensions
Pakistan has condemned the strikes, calling them an “act of war.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated the country reserved the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.” Reports from Pakistani media indicate retaliatory shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) resulted in the deaths of at least three Indian civilians in the Poonch-Rajouri sector.
Pakistani officials also reported civilian casualties within their own territory, including the deaths of a child and injuries to multiple people in Bahawalpur. In Muzaffarabad, residents described scenes of chaos as explosions damaged homes and led to widespread power outages.
The Pakistani military placed its air force on high alert, and security forces claimed to have shot down two Indian jets—though this has not been independently verified.
International concern and global reaction
The United Nations has expressed concern over the escalation. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for “maximum military restraint” from both countries, warning that a military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours would be deeply destabilising for the region.
The United States said it was monitoring the situation closely. President Donald Trump expressed hope that the hostilities would end quickly, describing the decades-long conflict between India and Pakistan as "very unfortunate."
Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, offered support for India’s right to self-defence, saying “terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes.” The Indian embassy in Washington released a statement detailing evidence linking the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan-based militants, including technical inputs and survivor testimony.
Context: A history of cross-border tensions
India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars since their independence in 1947, mostly over the disputed Kashmir region. Cross-border attacks and ceasefire violations are frequent, with both countries accusing each other of harbouring or supporting militant activities.
The latest strike comes amid a series of escalatory moves. Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended key aspects of its 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and closed a major border crossing. Islamabad, in turn, halted trade and returned Indian diplomats.
Tuesday's strike marks one of the most significant retaliatory operations since India's 2019 airstrike on Balakot, which followed a suicide bombing in Pulwama that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. That incident brought both countries close to open military conflict, raising fears of escalation between two nuclear powers.
For now, both sides remain on high alert, and observers around the world are watching closely for any signs of further retaliation.
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