 "A building in Muridke, Pakistan, that was damaged by an Indian missile strike on Wednesday (AP)")
Indian armed forces on Wednesday (May 7) launched airstrikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting terrorist infrastructure. This action, codenamed “ Operation Sindoor ,” comes two weeks after the terror attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” said a statement from India’s Defence Ministry.
Pakistan’s military said that the Indian attack has resulted in the death of at least “26 civilians”. Meanwhile, UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar released a statement earlier in the day, saying 10 of his family members were killed in Indian strikes.
Pakistan PM Office has issued a statement, which shows PM Shehbaz Sharif has authorised the Pakistan Army to undertake “corresponding actions”.
Meanwhile, Nations around the world are reacting to this unfolding military crisis between the two nuclear-armed nations.
US
US President Donald Trump Wednesday said “it’s a shame” in response to a question about Indian strikes in Pakistan.
“It’s a shame. Just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades. I hope it ends very quickly,” he said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also reacted to the crisis.
“I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo President Trump’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution,” he posted on X.
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Prime minister Keir Starmer said the UK was “engaging urgently with both countries … encouraging dialogue, de-escalation and the protection of civilians”.
China
Chian earlier called for restraint from both sides.
“China expresses regret over India’s military actions this morning and is concerned about the current developments. China opposes all forms of terrorism,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a statement. “We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, and avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation.”
France
France said it “understands” India’s desire to defend itself against terrorism.
“We understand India’s desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview.
Israel
Israel has backed India’s right to self-defence.
“Israel supports India’s right for self-defence. Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent,” said Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar.
Japan
Japan has condemned acts of terrorism and has urged both India and Pakistan to show restraint.
“For the peace and stability of South Asia, we strongly urge both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stabilise the situation through dialogue,” Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said. “In regard to the terrorist act that occurred in Kashmir on April 22, our country firmly condemns such acts of terrorism,” the statement added.
Qatar
Qatar has urged both sides to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the urgent need to keep communication channels open between India and Pakistan,” the statement added.
Russia
Russia said it was deeply concerned about the military escalation between the two nations and urged both sides to show restraint.
It added it had warm ties with both nations and that it condemned terrorism in all forms.
United Nations
The UN said it was very concerned about Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border.
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries,” a spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.