In the early hours of May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a precision military strike targeting nine terror-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists, including several women who were left widowed. Indian officials emphasized that the operation was meticulously planned to avoid civilian, economic, or military casualties in Pakistan, focusing solely on dismantling infrastructure associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

At a rare joint press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a decorated Indian Air Force helicopter pilot, detailed the objectives and execution of Operation Sindoor. Singh highlighted that the operation was conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am, lasting just 25 minutes and employing advanced fighter jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles. She was joined by Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, marking a significant moment with two senior women officers representing the armed forces at such a high level. The officials reiterated that the strikes targeted command centers and training camps, not civilian areas.

During the briefing, Wing Commander Singh accused Pakistan of using civilian airliners as shields, a tactic that complicates precision targeting and increases the risk to non-combatants. This claim, if verified, would represent a serious violation of international norms and further escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Singh warned that India remains fully prepared to respond decisively to any further provocation or hostile action from Pakistan, underscoring the operation as part of a broader zero-tolerance doctrine against terrorism.

The aftermath of Operation Sindoor saw Pakistan retaliate with shelling in border areas and claims of downing Indian aircraft, while also denying Indian allegations and asserting civilian casualties on their side. The international community has since called for restraint, as both countries brace for potential escalation amid a climate of intense mistrust and competing narratives.