Month: May 2025

After India executed Operation Sindoor in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7.

The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks.

Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation multiple domain experts told ANI. An official Government confirmation is awaited.

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Sources said, that over 100 terrorists were eliminated with a series of precision strikes launched in the early hours of Wednesday. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated.

The strikes, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine key terror camps in Pakistan linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the targets were located inside Pakistan and the remaining five were situated in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The security forces targeted four terrorist camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya.

The five other locations in PoJK on India’s target were Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala in Bhimber, Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli, Shawai Nallah Camp, and Markaz Syedna Bilal, in Muzaffarabad.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military. (ANI)

Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has temporarily suspended flight operations at airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, Aaj News reported.

According to PAA, the airports in Lahore and Sialkot will remain unavailable for all flights until 12 pm on Thursday (local time). The flight schedules of both domestic and international flights have been impacted due to the suspension, Aaj News reported. Passengers have been asked to contact their respective airlines to get updates regarding their flight timings and possible delays.

The development comes after Indian forces on Wednesday carried out precision strikes at the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others.

The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday shared details about Operation Sindoor, a targeted strike mission to destroy terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK

Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK.

The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya.

“First is Sarjal camp, Sialkot, which lies 6 km inside Pakistan… It’s the camp where those terrorists involved in the March 2025 killing of four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel received their training,” she said.

She also confirmed the destruction of Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, located 100 km inside Pakistan, stating, “It was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, targeted by Indian Armed Forces.”

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the operation’s strategic intent, stating, “‘Operation Sindoor’ was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 to serve justice to the innocent victims and their families.

She revealed that Pakistan has maintained a complex terror infrastructure for three decades, comprising 21 recruitment, indoctrination, and launch pad centres across Pakistan and PoJK.

Emphasising the operation’s precision, Qureshi clarified, “No military installation was targeted, and till now there are no reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan.”

The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) based on credible intelligence. (ANI)

World leaders have come out in support of India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on May 7.

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak supported the Indian attack on terrorist infrastructure and said that no nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from another country.

In a post on X, Sunak stated, “No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists.”

UK MP Priti Patel backed the attack and said that India has the right to take reasonable steps to defend itself and dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that threatens it.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged India and Pakistan to “show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward.” He reiterated his condemnation of terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

In a statement, Lammy said, “Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward. The UK has close and unique relationships with both countries. I have made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, nobody wins.”

“The UK was clear in its condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians,” he added.

France

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed understanding about India’s desire to protect itself from terrorism.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on 22 April, which left 26 civilians brutally murdered in India,” Barrot said.

He mentioned his efforts to support a United Nations Security Council statement condemning the attack, saying, “I was even in New York last week to support the adoption of a statement by the United Nations Security Council condemning this terrorist attack.”

Further, he said, “We understand India’s desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in order to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians.”

In an official statement, the French Foreign Office condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April and expressed its full solidarity with India. It said France supports India in its fight against terrorist groups.

Israel

Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said that Israel supported India’s right of self-defence and said that terrorists should know there is no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent.

In a post on X, Azar stated, “Israel supports India’s right for self defense. Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent.”

Netherlands

Netherlands MP Geert Wilders has expressed his support with his tweet saying Kashmir is 100 per cent Indian. He has also used #PakistanBehindPahalgam in his post on X.

US

US Congressman Shri Thanedar said that Terrorism cannot be tolerated and it cannot go unpunished and India has the right to defend its people and expressed firm solidarity towards India’s efforts to dismantle the extremists networks.

“India has the right to defend itself after what happened in Pahalgam… Terrorists were focused on making sure the people they’re killing are Hindus… Now that India has started to target the infrastructure of the terrorists and planned nine such attacks, so India has the right to defend itself. India has a right to retaliate for what appears to be barbaric acts…I’m urging that United States supports India at this difficult time…First of all, the United States must recognise India’s right to protect its people and its territory. Secondly, the United States must encourage a thorough and complete investigation about the terrorist attack,” Thanedar told ANI.

US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi highlighted the need to combat terrorism and prevent future violence, which has become even more “urgent.” He emphasised the importance of avoiding broader conflict and further escalation.

“In the wake of last month’s horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the need to combat terrorism and prevent future violence has become even more urgent,” Krishnamoorthi told ANI.

Usually, for such a major operation across borders between nuclear-armed nations, it is natural for countries to ask for de-escalation.

However, due to India’s improving relations with the world and increased understanding of Pakistani terrorism, important Western powers and top legislators have gone to the extent of supporting Indian strikes.

The statement of world leaders comes after the Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Wednesday in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence.

Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK.

The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. (ANI)

Nine people died and eight others were seriously injured in a massive gas cylinder blast in a shop in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Madan Market, located in the busy Kotwali police station area of Bikaner city. The explosion damaged the building in which the shop was located.

The blast was so powerful that the roof of the first floor of the market collapsed, trapping dozens of people under the debris.

“The incident occurred in a shop where work related to gold and silver was being done. Till now, eight people have died,” said ASP Vishal Jangid.

The rescue operation continued as joint teams from NDRF, SDRF, Civil Defence, and the police recovered five more bodies from the rubble.

In a post on X, Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Tika Ram Jully, said, “The news of the death of 9 people due to a gas cylinder blast in Bikaner is extremely sad and unfortunate. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families.”

“I pray to God to give peace to the departed souls and strength to the family members to bear this immense loss and speedy recovery to the injured,” he added.

Further investigation is still ongoing. (ANI)

Pakistan’s Air Defence Units of the HQ-9 air defence missile launchers have suffered heavy damage, according to reports from sources in Islamabad.

The reports come even as tensions continue between India and Pakistan after India executed Operation Sindoor in which nine terror sites inside Pakistan were destroyed. Pakistan’s Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 24 impacts were reported, with different weapons, in six localities during the strikes.

The Pakistan Army also made claims of downing drones of the Indian Armed forces, a claim that has not been verified.

In fact, the Pakistani side has jumped into a misinformation war against India following India’s precision missile strikes. It shows Pakistan’s desperate attempt to shift the focus with a barrage of lies and digital theatrics. Pakistan’s state-affiliated accounts have turned to their familiar playbook of recycling outdated images, misrepresenting old videos, and inventing completely fabricated claims to flood the information space with falsehoods so quickly and overwhelmingly that it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction.

The Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has exposed this misinformation campaign by Pakistan-based social media handles, which are trying to blatantly hijack the narrative and distract from the on-ground reality.

The Fact Check unit today debunked another fabricated narrative by the Pakistan side of conducting strikes on a military base in Amritsar, Punjab, asserting that the narrative was false and misleading.

The post shared by a Pakistani user named Shamil Jawani (@ShamilJawani1) alleged “numerous casualties” and “several critically injured” at the Amritsar base, using hashtags like #IndiaPakistanWar, #OperationSindoor, and #Pakistan.The PIB Fact Check stamped the video as “FAKE” and issued a warning against the spread of unverified information, labelling it a “Pakistan Propaganda Alert”.The unit clarified that the video accompanying the claim is an old clip from a 2024 wildfire, unrelated to any military operation or strike.

Another example of Pakistan’s desperate attempt at such theatrics is the viral image falsely claiming that the Pakistan Army had shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur. The image, however, was debunked by PIB Fact Check, which confirmed that it was actually from a MiG-21 crash in Moga, Punjab, in 2021 – entirely unrelated to current events.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was on Wednesday exposed on international TV. While appearing on a CNN interview, the Anchor asked Asif, “You say Pakistan shot down 5 Indian jets. Where’s the evidence? A stumped Khwaja Asif replied, “It’s all over social media,”

The anchor replied, ” I’m sorry we didn’t ask you here to talk about social media content.”

A Defence Minister citing social media content to back unverified claims shows that Pakistan’s rank and file has relied on fake news to push its case. (ANI)

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal said that pacer Jasprit Bumrah should be given a chance to lead the team in the future following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket.

Rohit called time on an 11-year Test career, leaving India with a massive leadership vacuum ahead of their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) kickstarting series against England in June this year.

Speaking to ANI about the possible next captaincy candidate, Madan Lal said, “Jasprit Bumrah should get a chance. He has been doing very well. He is a permanent member of the team. We have some young players who can be made the Vice-Captain…”

#WATCH | On being asked if Jasprit Bumrah will be named the captain of Indian Test Cricket team, former Indian cricketer Madan Lal says, "Jasprit Bumrah should get a chance. He has been doing very well. He is a permanent member of the team. We have some young players who can be… pic.twitter.com/sfubBQSr9L

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

Between 2022-25, Bumrah has led India in three Tests, winning one and losing two. He has also been India’s vice-captain in Tests in the past. His captaincy stint in Tests started against England in 2022 with the fifth rescheduled Test, which India lost by seven wickets.

His next Test match as captain came at Perth during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he led India to a memorable 295-run win to go 1-0 up in the series. This was also the team’s only win in the series. He returned as a captain with India being 1-2 down in the final Test at Sydney, but India lost the Test and series by 1-3 and officially exited the contention of the ICC World Test Championship finals.

Rohit on Wednesday announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a celebrated chapter in his international career. The 38-year-old batter took to Instagram on Wednesday to share the news, expressing gratitude to fans and reflecting on his journey in the longest format of the game.

Rohit made his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2013 and went on to represent India in 67 Tests. He amassed 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, with 12 centuries and 18 fifties. (ANI)

A helicopter crash in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district has left five people dead and others seriously injured, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey confirmed to ANI on Thursday.

The incident occurred in the border district of Uttarkashi near Ganganani. It involved a helicopter carrying six passengers and its captain.

Visuals from the crash site showed mangled interior of the chopper.

According to Pandey, as soon as news of the crash reached authorities, relief and rescue teams were mobilised and rushed to the site to assist with rescue operations and provide medical aid.

The cause of the crash is yet to be determined.

Further details are awaited.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that SDRF and district administration teams have reached the spot for relief and rescue work.

“I have instructed the administration to provide all possible help to the injured and investigate the accident,” he said. (ANI)

Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, meaning that cardinals did not elect a new Pope on the first day of the conclave, CNN reported.

The cardinals returned to the Santa Marta residence, where they’ll remain sequestered until a second day of voting begins on Thursday, as per CNN.

The elections of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis were swift by historical standards. Both Popes were appointed on the second day of voting. Pope Benedict required four rounds of voting; Pope Francis took five.

Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict’s predecessor, took slightly longer. He was elected in 1978 on the third day of voting, in the eighth round.

The conclaves held earlier in the 20th century took more time. In 1903, it took five days of voting to elect Pope Pius X – the same number it took to elect Pius XII in 1939, as per CNN.

The Catholic Church began the highly secretive process known as the “conclave” on Wednesday to elect the next pontiff following the death of Pope Francis last month. There are 133 voting cardinals, and any one of them needs to receive more than two-thirds of the vote to become the new pope. Take a look at how the voting process works.

At the end of each voting session, the cardinals burn the ballots. Black smoke means the cardinals haven’t reached a consensus, and white smoke means there’s a new Pope.

The conclave process is highly secretive, which allows the church and cardinals “freedom” to choose a pope without outside influence, Rev Sam Sawyer, a Jesuit priest and President and editor-in-chief at America Media, told CNN.

“I think the secrecy really it’s meant to help the cardinals discern in freedom, so it gives them the freedom to vote within their own conscience for the man they think is best suited to be the pope,” Sawyer said.

While in contemporary times the conclave allows cardinals “freedom of conscience” and the ability “to be really frank with each other and then also to vote according to how the spirit moves them,” historically the secretive process played a more protective role, Sawyer noted, as per CNN. (ANI)

As part of a nationwide civil defence drill, the Amritsar district administration has resumed blackout measures to ensure public safety and preparedness, the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) said on Wednesday.

“Taking utmost caution, the Amritsar district administration has again started the blackout process. Please stay at home, do not panic and do not gather outside your houses; keep the outside lights switched off,” the Amritsar DPRO said in a statement.

The blackout in Amritsar was part of a nationwide civil defence mock drill ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check emergency preparedness in case of future threats. The exercise involved scheduled blackouts at key locations across the country.

Speaking about the prior blackout in Amritsar, ASI Jagtar Singh told ANI, “The blackout was between 10.30 pm and 11 pm, half an hour. The directions are that there should not be any lights on so that the enemy may not know there is a city here. The rehearsal is being done for the interest of the country… Some people are following the blackout, and some are not… The siren was activated and then there was a complete blackout within two minutes…”

Several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar, also observed similar blackouts. Cities such as Barmer, Gwalior, Surat, Shimla, and Patna participated by switching off lights at key buildings and public spaces. In the national capital, Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Vijay Chowk also went dark for the drill. Raj Bhavan in Patna participated too.

Earlier in the day, civil defence mock drills were conducted in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur. These drills were meant to assess how local authorities and citizens respond to emergencies.

The nationwide preparedness drill came after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday. This was a retaliatory strike on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including one Nepali national, were killed. (ANI)