- India launched unprovoked missile strikes on Pakistani civilians under “Operation Sindoor,” killing 8 and injuring 35.
- Pakistan retaliated forcefully, downing five Indian fighter jets and destroying a brigade command HQ and LoC check posts.
- Islamabad accuses India of staging the Pahalgam false flag attack to justify war; vows this is “just the beginning.”
- Pakistani airspace restricted; international flights diverted amid fears of further escalation between nuclear rivals.
A full-scale military conflict erupted between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan early Wednesday morning after India launched a surprise series of missile and drone strikes targeting civilian areas inside Pakistani territory. The aggression, which Pakistan’s military says was unprovoked and deliberate, has plunged the subcontinent into its most dangerous confrontation in years.
At around 1:10 a.m., India launched coordinated attacks under what it dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” striking six different locations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and other bordering areas. According to Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 24 separate impacts were recorded using various types of munitions. The assault killed tweny four Pakistani civilians and injured at least 35, several of them critically.
India Launched Missile Attacks on Pakistan; PAF Downs Five Indian Jets in Retaliation
The Indian strikes appeared to be a calculated escalation, following weeks of Islamabad warning the international community about an impending Indian military adventure.
“This is no surprise to us. We have been consistently informing the world that India staged the false flag Pahalgam incident only to justify an attack on Pakistan,” a senior Pakistani security official told this correspondent.
The attack marks a grave escalation after Indian authorities blamed Pakistan for the April 25 bombing in Pahalgam, which left several Hindu pilgrims dead. Pakistan has vehemently denied any involvement, terming the Pahalgam bombing as “a poorly orchestrated false flag operation meant to divert attention from Modi’s domestic failures and whip up war hysteria ahead of Indian elections.”
Pakistan Hits Back Hard
Pakistan’s response was swift, decisive, and devastating. Within hours, the Pakistan Air Force launched retaliatory strikes targeting Indian military positions along the Line of Control (LoC). According to the ISPR, Pakistani fighter jets downed five Indian aircraft, including two Su-30MKIs and one Rafale, in dogfights near Muzaffarabad and Bhimber sectors.
In a massive show of strength, Pakistani forces also destroyed an Indian Army brigade command headquarters located in the Rajouri sector, and obliterated several check posts that had been used to shell civilian villages in recent days.
Military sources confirmed that Indian ground losses are “significant,” with dozens of casualties reported on the Indian side. “We have inflicted heavy losses on the Indian Army,” a Pakistan Army spokesperson said during an emergency press briefing on Wednesday afternoon. “The retaliation has only just begun. We will take this to the next level if provoked further.”
Airspace Frozen, Cities on Alert
In the aftermath of the Indian aggression, all flights across northern Pakistan were grounded, and inbound and outbound air traffic was diverted to Karachi. Civil aviation authorities issued an emergency NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), and airports in Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar suspended operations indefinitely.
The capital city went into partial lockdown as sirens blared and shelters were activated. Schools and offices remained shut, and emergency services were placed on high alert across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Read More:Tensions Escalate After Pahalgam Attack: Pakistan Signals Readiness for Joint Probe, Firm Response to India
Indian cities along the border are also reportedly witnessing panic, with social media videos showing civilians evacuating areas near Jammu and Amritsar. However, the Indian government has imposed a strict media blackout, with state-run outlets portraying the offensive as “surgical strikes against terrorist camps”—a claim Pakistan has flatly denied.
International Response Muted
Despite the severity of the situation, major world powers have issued only mild statements of “concern” without directly condemning India for initiating the hostilities. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has issued urgent appeals to the United Nations, OIC, China, and other stakeholders to intervene and de-escalate tensions.
In a strongly worded letter to the UN Security Council, Pakistan has called the Indian attack a “flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter.” Pakistani diplomats in New York and Geneva are lobbying for an emergency session, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to address the nation tonight.
India launches air strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Meanwhile, foreign embassies in Islamabad have begun issuing travel advisories to their citizens, urging them to exercise extreme caution or leave the country if possible.
Security Sources: “Just the Beginning”
Senior Pakistani defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the retaliation so far was only “phase one” of a multi-layered response plan. “India has made a grave miscalculation. This was not a military skirmish—it was a war crime against civilians. The next phase of our response will make that clear,” a top-level source revealed.
Pakistani military analysts say that India’s current leadership may have gambled on limited escalation for political gain but has now provoked a broader conflict that could spiral out of control. “Modi started this war to win an election. Pakistan will finish it to protect its sovereignty,” said Lt. Gen. (retd) Amjad Shoaib on a local news broadcast.
Background: Pahalgam False Flag Theory
Tensions had been simmering ever since the April 25 bombing in Pahalgam, a popular tourist area in Indian-occupied Kashmir, killed 14 people. Indian intelligence agencies quickly blamed Pakistan without even investigating the incident and claimed links to a “cross-border terror module,” but Islamabad provided counter-evidence indicating that the attack bore all the hallmarks of an inside job.
Pakistani officials had warned the UN and the international media that the incident was designed as a false flag operation—a tool often used by India, they say, to garner international sympathy and justify military actions against Pakistan.
In light of the latest developments, analysts believe that the Pahalgam incident was the pretext New Delhi needed to greenlight a long-planned military campaign.
Outlook
As of Wednesday evening, both sides remain on high alert, with further escalations likely. Pakistan has activated all defense systems along the eastern border, while army chief General Asim Munir chaired a top-level meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees the country’s nuclear arsenal.
The Pakistan government has called for national unity and issued a warning that any future aggression will be met with “unimaginable consequences.”
This is a developing story. More updates to follow.