TRANSCRIPT
India says it has struck nine sites which it claims were terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in what it calls “Operation Sindoor”.
The title is no accident- Sindoor is a cosmetic powder worn along the hairline of married Hindu women.
The action is a direct response to last month’s targeted attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 dead.
Indian Foreign Minister Vkiram Misri says Pakistan has done nothing to try to punish the perpetators of that attack.
"It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed since the attacks, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control. Instead, all it has indulged in are denials and allegations."
Footage verified by Indian state broadcaster ANI shows projectiles streaking across the night sky, followed by thunderous blasts.
India's Ministry of Defence has posted this statement on X.
"India has launched OperationSindoor, a precise and restrained response to the barbaric #PahalgamTerrorAttack that claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali citizen. Focused strikes were carried out on nine #terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting the roots of cross-border terror planning. Importantly, no Pakistani military facilities were hit, reflecting India’s calibrated and non-escalatory approach. This operation underscores India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation."
In Pakistan, the mood is far from calm.
Islamabad claims Indian missiles killed at least 19 people,including a child, and injured a dozen more.
In Muzaffarabad and Kotli, both in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as well as in Bahawalpur, missiles struck populated areas.
According to Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Ministry, one hit a mosque.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, is a Pakistan army spokesperson.
“There have been 24 impacts in Pakistan at six locations, these impacts have been carried out by India in different ways using different weapons at six locations. In these attacks eight Pakistanis were martyred and 35 were injured.”
Colonel Waqar Noor, Pakistan's regional interior minister in Kashmir, addressed residents on national television.
“We’ve confirmed strikes at three locations, including Kotli and Muzaffarabad. By the grace of God, damage is limited. But make no mistake, we will respond. Our enemy is cowardly, attacking civilians in the dark.”
India's Vikram Misri maintains its attacks were aimed at preventing further attacks on its own territory.
"Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending. There was thus a compulsion both to deter and to preempt. Earlier this morning, as you would be aware, India exercised its right to respond and preempt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks."
But the political fallout has been immediate.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labelled the strikes as cowardly and vowed his nation would retaliate.
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, says his country will respond.
"I think India will now face Pakistan's very fierce response, because we are never the aggressors. And regarding (inaudible), as I said, the Indians are questioning their own government. That they have no evidence, they have no facts and they ran away from the investigation which Pakistan had offered and they attacked our civilians, they attacked our mosque today, they attacked five localities. Pakistan will now respond and respond very very effectively, make no mistake because our desire for peace should not be mistaken for our weakness."
Meanwhile, Pakistan claims it shot down several Indian fighter jets in retaliation but India has not confirmed the losses.
The impact on civil aviation has been swift and severe.
Air India cancelled all flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, and seven other cities.
Some international flights to Amritsar were diverted mid-air to Delhi.
Pakistan International Airlines grounded all domestic and international flights indefinitely.
Global carriers including Air France and Lufthansa have announced they will avoid Pakistani airspace until further notice.
On the ground, hospitals in Pakistani-administered Kashmir have declared emergencies.
Residents are fleeing towns close to the line separating Indian-administered and Pakistani-administered territories..
And as night falls, fears of further escalation loom.
