Pakistan fired 80 cruise missiles overnight at Indian military installations, in what Pakistani officials described as a preemptive operation against anticipated cross-border military activity by India. Pakistani authorities claimed their air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed five Indian fighter jets as they attempted to repel the missile barrage.
Indian military sources acknowledged intense combat operations and widespread activation of air defense systems but did not confirm Pakistan’s specific claims about downed aircraft. Statements from the Indian defense ministry indicated that multiple areas in northern India were targeted, with authorities still assessing the extent of the damage and casualties.
This exchange marks the most substantial use of long-range precision weapons in the region since the two countries last engaged in direct hostilities following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent Balakot airstrike. The longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan, rooted primarily in the unresolved territorial dispute over Kashmir, has fueled decades of armed skirmishes and three full-scale wars since their independence from British rule in 1947.
In the early hours following the missile launches, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) emphasized that the strikes were carried out in response to what Islamabad viewed as imminent threats. Massive barrages of guided missiles struck Indian bases deemed critical for air force operations, signaling both military capability and political resolve on the part of Pakistan’s leadership.
The Indian government, in response, convened emergency sessions of the National Security Council, raising military alert levels in multiple districts and putting air forces on standby. Footage from local media appeared to show columns of smoke near affected facilities and emergency services mobilizing at several locations.
International observers and mediators, including the United Nations and the United States, have called for restraint from both sides, underlining the dangers of conflict escalation in a region where both states possess nuclear arsenals. President Donald Trump and other world leaders issued statements urging immediate de-escalation, underscoring the possibility that unchecked hostilities could rapidly spiral into an international crisis.
Security analysts have pointed out that the deployment of such a large number of cruise missiles marks a significant technical and doctrinal development in the subcontinent’s military balance. Both India and Pakistan maintain a wide array of delivery systems, including cruise and ballistic missiles, multi-layered air defense platforms, and expanding drone fleets. Their adversarial postures are amplified by periodic flare-ups along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir—a region that has historically been used by terror organizations as a springboard for cross-border attacks.
The South Asian security environment is further complicated by the repeated involvement of Iranian-backed terror organizations exploiting instability, as seen elsewhere in the region, including the Middle East. Israel, engaged in its own campaign of self-defense against Iran-backed proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, has tracked the South Asian situation closely. Israeli sources have emphasized that coordinated action is essential to prevent terror elements from using political or military chaos to expand operational reach.
As both countries grapple with the immediate aftermath of the missile attack, regional capitals are calibrating their diplomatic and security responses. While Pakistan claims to have struck a decisive blow against perceived Indian aggression, New Delhi has signaled that any attack on its soil will be met with force. Authorities on both sides have ordered a heightened state of military readiness and warned that any further escalation could lead to larger-scale military mobilizations.
The latest outbreak of hostilities comes amid persistent threats from groups designated as terror organizations, some of which maintain ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Experts caution that periods of state-on-state conflict create opportunities for such groups to smuggle weapons, recruit operatives, or launch attacks, further destabilizing the wider region and threatening international security.
Global mediation efforts are underway, with the United States, China, and other major powers working to defuse tensions. However, historical experience shows that repeated cycles of violence, mutual distrust, and the involvement of external actors can quickly undermine diplomatic progress.
As the international community watches developments in South Asia, Israeli commentators have reiterated that persistent aggression—whether by states or their proxies—must be met with both deterrence and resilience. For both India and Pakistan, the challenge now is to prevent a localized military exchange from escalating into a catastrophic regional war.
The unfolding crisis underlines the importance of robust defensive capabilities, intelligence cooperation, and readiness in a world increasingly threatened by state and non-state actors that reject diplomatic norms. Today’s events demonstrate once again that the imperative for strong alliances and moral clarity—in defense of innocent lives and the norms of international law—remains as urgent as ever.
