India and Pakistan Tensions Escalate After Deadly Strikes

Between 3:00 PM on May 7 and 3:00 PM on May 8, 2025 (Philippine Standard Time), India and Pakistan experienced a significant rise in tensions following deadly military actions.

On May 7, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a series of airstrikes targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India stated these sites were linked to militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which it holds responsible for an attack on April 22 that killed 26 Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir (Wikipedia, 2025a). The airstrikes reportedly killed at least 31 people, including 10 relatives of JeM leader Masood Azhar (Reuters, 2025).(Wikipedia, Reuters)

Pakistan condemned the strikes as an “act of war” and denied harboring terrorist camps. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to “avenge each drop of blood” and authorized the military to undertake corresponding actions (The Guardian, 2025). In response, Pakistan claimed to have shot down several Indian aircraft and drones, though India disputed these claims (AP News, 2025).(AP News, The Guardian, Wikipedia)

The conflict led to heavy cross-border shelling along the Line of Control, resulting in civilian casualties and displacements. India reported 15 civilian deaths and 43 injuries, while Pakistan reported 31 civilian deaths and 46 injuries (Wikipedia, 2025b).(Wikipedia)

In anticipation of further escalation, India conducted a nationwide civil defense drill, “Operation Abhyaas,” on May 7. The exercise involved air-raid sirens, blackout simulations, and evacuation drills across 244 districts to prepare civilians for potential attacks (Wikipedia, 2025c).(Wikipedia)

Internationally, countries like China, Russia, and Iran expressed concern over the escalating tensions and urged both nations to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue (Wikipedia, 2025d).

The situation remains volatile, with both nuclear-armed neighbors on high alert. The international community continues to monitor developments closely, hoping for a de-escalation of hostilities.(Wikipedia)

References:

• AP News. (2025). Pakistan’s army says Indian drone attacked military target near Lahore. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/4a33b5884b0860c01f266e2a93688ef7(AP News)
• Reuters. (2025). Reduced to rubble: India strikes alleged headquarters of militant groups in Pakistan’s heartland. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/india/reduced-rubble-india-strikes-alleged-headquarters-militant-groups-pakistans-2025-05-07/(Reuters)
• The Guardian. (2025). Pakistan PM promises to ‘avenge each drop of blood’ after Indian airstrikes kill 31. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/07/pakistan-authorises-corresponding-retaliation-after-india-missile-strike-punjab-kashmir(The Guardian)
• Wikipedia. (2025a). 2025 India–Pakistan strikes. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_India%E2%80%93Pakistan_strikes(Wikipedia)
• Wikipedia. (2025b). 2025 India–Pakistan border skirmishes. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_India%E2%80%93Pakistan_border_skirmishes(Wikipedia)
• Wikipedia. (2025c). 2025 India civil defence mock drill. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_India_civil_defence_mock_drill(Wikipedia)
• Wikipedia. (2025d). International reactions to the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_2025_India-Pakistan_conflict(Wikipedia)