India abruptly altered course on Wednesday morning, conducting a series of missile launches against targets throughout Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. One of the biggest escalated issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in recent years is the operation known as Operation Sindoor. Two weeks prior to the strikes, there had been a horrific slaughtering of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, for which India blamed militants backed by Pakistan, a claim Pakistan has disagreed with.

Where Did India Strike?
General Lieutenant Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry Pakistan’s military spokesperson, said that the Indian missiles struck six different areas, including two in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and four in Punjab state. The strikes started about one in the morning local time.

Five civilians, including a three-year-old infant, were killed when a mosque compound in Ahmedpur Sharqia close to Bahawalpur was struck, causing the most serious damage. Shakar Garh and Muridke a village close to Sialkot were among the other Punjabi locations impacted. Local officials confirmed that two mosque were torn down and numerous civilian casualties were reported in the targeted areas of Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

In all, at least eight people, including a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy were killed and dozens more were injured. The Punjab provincial government has declared a state of emergency closed schools and placed hospitals on high alert.

Pakistan’s Response
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan scrambled its air force. Officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, claimed their jets had intercepted and shot down up to five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale jets. However, as of now, India has not responded to these claims, and no independent verification has been provided.

Interestingly, Pakistan’s military also stated that all Indian missiles were launched from within Indian airspace, raising questions about how any aircraft could have been engaged if they never crossed the border.

What Prompted the Strikes?
India’s military action comes on the heels of a grisly attack in the Baisaran valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. Armed assailants killed 26 people—25 of them tourists—after allegedly separating the men from the women and executing them based on religious identity. The attackers left behind a trail of devastation and grief, particularly among the Hindu victims’ families.

New Delhi quickly blamed the group The Resistance Front (TRF), which it claims is a Pakistan-sponsored outfit operating from across the border. Pakistan, while condemning the violence, strongly denied any involvement and called for an impartial investigation.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had vowed a strong response, stating the attackers would be hunted “to the ends of the earth.” With Operation Sindoor, that promise has apparently been set into motion.

Why the Name Operation Sindoor?
The name carries a powerful and emotional symbolism. Sindoor, a red powder traditionally worn by married Hindu women, became an emblem of loss in the aftermath of the Pahalgam killings. According to survivor testimonies, the attackers deliberately spared women and targeted their husbands—leaving many widows behind. The operation’s name seems to reference that tragic imagery and the cultural weight of the victims’ suffering.

Rising Tensions and the Kashmir Flashpoint
Kashmir has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both of whom claim the region in full but control different parts. Over the years, they have fought multiple wars over the territory, with intermittent ceasefires often shattered by violence and border skirmishes.

Since the April attack, the already strained relationship between the two countries has worsened. India has revoked visas for Pakistani citizens, pulled out of water-sharing arrangements under the Indus Waters Treaty, and detained more than 2,000 individuals in Kashmir under security laws. Pakistan in turn has threatened to suspend key bilateral agreements and expelled Indian diplomats.

What Comes Next?
With both nations hardening their stances and military forces on high alert, the risk of a broader conflict looms large. Regional and international observers are calling for restraint but for now a diplomatic solution seems distant.

Operation Sindoor has not just reignited cross-border tensions—it has reminded the world how fragile peace in South Asia can be.