Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply after India’s May 7 military strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan has officially condemned the strikes—part of India’s Operation Sindoor—as an “act of war,” claiming they hit civilian areas, including mosques and schools, killing at least 31 civilians and injuring dozens.
India maintains the strikes were precision attacks on terrorist infrastructure linked to the April 23 Pahalgam massacre, which left 27 civilians dead. Indian officials said the operation targeted militant camps run by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
In response, Pakistan said it downed five Indian fighter jets and launched artillery attacks along the Line of Control (LoC), sparking fears of broader conflict. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that India would “face serious consequences,” calling the strikes “cowardly and provocative.”
The international community has urged both sides to show restraint. Leaders from the U.S., U.K., China, and Turkey have called for immediate de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. With over a million civilians affected by border tensions, humanitarian concerns are also mounting.
Analysts warn that the current standoff could spiral into a wider regional crisis unless both nations pursue urgent diplomatic dialogue. The threat of further escalation remains high amid the backdrop of longstanding hostility between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
