Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on May 7, 2025, after Pakistan's military claimed it downed five Indian fighter jets. The reported aerial clash followed Indian air strikes targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, which officials stated were retaliation for an April 22 terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed multiple security personnel.
A Pakistan Army spokesperson said the Indian strikes resulted in eight civilian deaths, including a child, and injured 35 others. Indian authorities defended the operation as a "precise counterterrorism measure," though no group has claimed responsibility for the initial Pahalgam attack. Cross-border shelling and troop movements have intensified along the Line of Control, raising fears of broader conflict.
Analysts note this marks the most severe military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors since 2019. Global leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, have called for immediate de-escalation. Markets across Asia showed volatility as investors monitored security risks impacting regional trade corridors.
