Today's News: India Launches Military Strikes Against Pakistan
India launched missile strikes against sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claiming the targets were terrorist infrastructure.
Photo: Altaf Qadri/AP
Overview
Date: May 6, 2025
Topic: India Launches Military Strikes Against Pakistan Following Kashmir Attack
Summary: On May 6, 2025, India launched missile strikes against sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claiming the targets were terrorist infrastructure linked to a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The Indian government framed the operation as precise, restrained, and non-escalatory. Pakistan condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty, reporting civilian casualties and calling the act an unprovoked declaration of war. The strikes mark the most serious escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations since 2019, with both sides exchanging fire along the Line of Control and preparing for potential retaliation. Global powers, including the United States and the United Nations, have urged restraint amid fears of broader conflict.
Sources
The New York Times: India Strikes Pakistan Two Weeks After Kashmir Terrorist Attack - The New York Times
CNN: India launches military operation against Pakistan in major escalation | CNN
NBC News: India says it has launched strikes in Pakistan-controlled area
Fox News: India launches strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan | Fox News
The Washington Post: India strikes Pakistan after Kashmir attack, raising fears of war - The Washington Post
The Wall Street Journal: India Launches Military Strikes Against Pakistan - WSJ
Key Points
India launched strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure involved in the April 22 Kashmir massacre.
Pakistan reported civilian casualties, including the death of a child, and has vowed a “befitting response,” declaring the strikes an act of war.
Both governments assert their actions were measured, with India stating it avoided military and civilian targets, and Pakistan denying Indian aircraft entered its airspace.
Tensions had already escalated following the Kashmir attack, with diplomatic downgrades, suspended treaties, and mutual border closures.
The U.S. and U.N. expressed concern, urging restraint; India briefed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other allies following the strikes.
The strikes mark a significant intensification in the decades-long conflict over Kashmir, one of the world’s most militarized and contested regions.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times detailed India's use of the operation name "Sindoor," which refers to the gruesome nature of the terrorist attack two weeks ago. It emphasized that the strikes reached Punjab, representing a threshold-crossing escalation.
CNN reported on the sequence of military escalations since April, including border closures, tit-for-tat hostilities, and suspended water-sharing agreements.
NBC News noted Pakistani claims of downing two Indian planes and a direct hit on a mosque in Bahawalpur.
Fox News quoted Pakistani officials describing the strikes as targeting civilians and framed the event within Trump’s remarks calling for de-escalation.
The Washington Post provided diplomatic context, citing pre-strike discussions between Indian and U.S. officials, and post-strike artillery fire exchanges across the Line of Control.
The Wall Street Journal highlighted concerns about retaliation spirals and discussed the strategic risks posed by the China-Pakistan relationship.
Contrasting Details
India’s framing of the operation as “non-escalatory” and restrained is consistently emphasized by Indian statements across outlets, but Pakistani sources in NBC News, Fox News, and The Washington Post describe the strikes as acts of aggression with civilian casualties.
Pakistan’s claim of shooting down Indian aircraft appears in CNN, NBC News, and The Wall Street Journal, but is not confirmed by India and omitted by The New York Times and Fox News.
The Washington Post and CNN emphasize the failure of diplomacy in advance of the strikes, whereas Fox News and NBC News highlight Pakistan’s accusation that the strikes endangered commercial air traffic.
CNN and The Wall Street Journal provide more in-depth coverage of the water treaty suspension and economic impacts, which are not discussed in Fox News or NBC News.
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