Kathmandu: In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, India has launched a series of airstrikes under the codename Operation Sindoor, targeting nine alleged terrorist camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The strikes came in response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 Indian tourists. India has blamed Pakistan-based militant groups for orchestrating the deadly assault.

According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, the airstrikes were “precise and targeted” operations against infrastructure belonging to terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. A statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Washington emphasized that “only known terrorist camps were targeted.”

Indian media reports say at least 30 people were killed in the pre-dawn strikes on Wednesday.

In a swift and stern response, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the strikes as a “gross provocation of war” and warned that Pakistan would retaliate strongly. Pakistan claimed that eight civilians were killed and 35 others injured in the Indian strikes, which reportedly destroyed a mosque in Bahawalpur. Islamabad also asserted that five Indian fighter jets were shot down and several Indian soldiers captured, though these claims remain unverified by independent sources.

The cross-border attacks have reignited fears of a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. The United Nations has issued an urgent call for restraint, warning that any escalation could have “devastating consequences for regional and global peace.”

International air traffic has been disrupted, and both countries have placed their border forces on high alert. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing artillery fire reported along the Line of Control.

Global powers including the United States, China, and Russia are closely monitoring the situation and urging diplomatic solutions to prevent further military confrontation.