Indian missiles strike Pakistan: Operation Sindoor targets 9 sites, Pakistan vows retaliation

India carried out missile strikes across three regions of Pakistan late Tuesday, targeting locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Bahawalpur in Punjab province, according to Pakistan’s military.

The Pakistani Army, cited by state television, confirmed the strikes hit multiple sites, including Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bahawalpur, escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistani Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif called the strikes “unprovoked aggression,” vowing a response, as reported by state media.

India’s Operation Sindoor targets nine sites

Concurrently, India’s Defense Ministry announced “Operation Sindoor,” a targeted operation striking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The ministry stated the sites were terrorist infrastructure used to plan attacks against India, though specific targets, such as a reported strike on Hafiz Saeed’s seminary in Bahawalpur, remain unconfirmed by Indian officials.

Posts on X indicate significant Indian jet activity near the border, with explosions reported in Rawalpindi and Azad Kashmir, though these claims are inconclusive.

Escalation risks and global implications

The strikes mark a sharp escalation in Indo-Pak relations, already strained by historical disputes over Kashmir.

Pakistan’s military reported at least three missiles fired from the air, impacting southern Punjab and Kashmir regions, causing widespread alarm in affected cities.

The establishment narrative of targeted counter-terrorism must be scrutinized—neither side has provided independently verified evidence of the targets or casualties, raising questions about the strikes’ scope and intent.

Global reactions are pending, but the risk of retaliation looms large, with both nations possessing nuclear capabilities.

Analysts warn of potential economic fallout, as markets may react to heightened geopolitical risks.

The international community is likely to call for de-escalation, though past mediation efforts have yielded limited success. As the situation develops, the region braces for further uncertainty.