Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have reportedly escalated dramatically, with Indian media outlets claiming the Indian Army conducted airstrikes codenamed 'Operation Sindoor' against alleged "terrorist" camps within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday night. This aggressive military action is being widely reported as retaliation for the horrific April 22nd Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, where 26 tourists, including a Nepali citizen, were brutally murdered.

According to reports circulating in prominent Indian media, 'Operation Sindoor' targeted a total of nine locations. These reports, citing Indian Army sources, emphasized that Pakistani military establishments were purportedly not targeted in the operation.

The backdrop to these alleged strikes is the gruesome Pahalgam attack, where assailants reportedly questioned tourists about their religion before opening fire. The incident, which led to the tragic death of a Nepali national alongside 25 others, sent shockwaves across the region, including Nepal, where concerns for citizens' safety and regional stability have intensified. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently probing the Pahalgam massacre, having registered a case on April 27th.

In the days following the Pahalgam attack, India took several diplomatic steps, including the cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals across 14 categories. Deadlines were issued for various visa holders to leave India, with some expiring as early as April 26th and others by April 29th.

Some Indian news outlets are explicitly framing these reported airstrikes as "revenge" for the Pahalgam killings, tapping into the raw emotion and anger following the tourist massacre.

Adding another dimension to these fast-moving developments, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has reportedly stated that India conducted "cowardly" missile attacks after midnight. He identified the targeted locations within Pakistan as Kotli, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad. While confirming an Indian military action, the Pakistani statement contests the narrative presented by Indian media, particularly regarding the nature and targets of the strikes.

The alleged 'Operation Sindoor' and Pakistan's confirmation of missile attacks mark a significant and dangerous escalation in the already fraught relationship between the two South Asian rivals. For Nepal, which maintains close ties with India and also has diplomatic relations with Pakistan, these developments are a cause for grave concern, especially given the recent loss of a Nepali life in the Pahalgam attack and the potential for wider regional instability. The international community is yet to formally react to these latest reports, but pressure will undoubtedly mount on both sides to de-escalate and prevent a slide into a larger conflict. The human cost of such tensions is already being felt, and the fear of further escalation now hangs heavy over the region.

Operation Sindoor