Dhaka, May 07 (V7N) – Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following a series of Indian missile strikes early Wednesday targeting multiple sites in Pakistan, including Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Azad Kashmir). The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Sindoor’, reportedly killed at least 70 people, with India claiming all were members of terrorist organizations.

According to a report by Indian news outlet NDTV, citing government sources, the Indian armed forces carried out 24 precision missile strikes on nine “terrorist camps” allegedly operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The operation is being described as a "major blow" to the operational capacity of those groups.

Indian officials said that over 70 terrorists were killed and more than 60 others were injured. They insisted that “neutral targeting” was used to minimize civilian casualties and that only known terror hubs were targeted.

However, Pakistan has strongly contested India's claims.

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chowdhury, Director General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that the missile strikes killed at least 26 people and injured 46, with many of the victims being civilians. Among the dead were nine civilians, including women and children, while two people remain missing.

The strikes hit areas including Ahmedpur East, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bahawalpur, with several mosques also reportedly damaged. Pakistan has accused India of violating international norms by targeting civilian areas, and denies harboring terrorist infrastructure in those regions.

The Indian strikes were conducted in retaliation for the April 22 gun attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 Indian nationals were killed. India has publicly blamed Pakistan for orchestrating that assault, a charge Islamabad has repeatedly denied.

As diplomatic tensions rise, both countries have begun to bolster their military readiness along the Line of Control (LoC), raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

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