Although no formal declaration of war has been made, India and Pakistan are now entrenched in a violent and escalating conflict.
Tensions surged dramatically on Friday, May 9, 2025, when Pakistani shelling killed a senior Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration officer and two civilians in Rajouri, pushing the already volatile border into a war-like scenario.
The situation deteriorated further after Pakistan launched a large-scale military operation, “Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos” (Wall of Lead), early Saturday. The strikes targeted key Indian military assets, including the Pathankot airfield, Udhampur airbase, and a missile storage facility in Punjab. On the other hand, Indian missiles attacked three Pakistani airbases.
According to Indian officials, these were targeted retaliatory operations against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in which 26 tourists were killed.
In Rajouri, Pakistani shelling struck civilian areas, including the home of a J&K official, resulting in his death along with two others.
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid tribute to the officer, noting that he had accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister just a day earlier. “We have lost a dedicated officer… Today, his residence was hit by Pakistani shelling,” Abdullah posted on X.
India responded effectively. Its military intercepted and neutralized several Pakistani drones and missiles over Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, and Rajasthan. The Indian Army also destroyed multiple Pakistani military posts along the Line of Control (LoC), with official footage released as confirmation. Air raid sirens echoed across border cities, and blackouts were enforced in Jammu, Punjab, and Haryana as a precaution.
Civilian life across the border regions is in turmoil. Schools in Punjab’s border districts have been shut down, the Indian Premier League has been suspended, and airports remain on high alert.
Indian armed forces have shot down multiple Pakistani drones and destroyed key military posts as Islamabad intensified attacks on Indian military and civilian infrastructure along the northern and western borders. According to officials, Indian air defense systems successfully “engaged and destroyed” several drones over Amritsar, near the international border. In a decisive counterattack, the Indian military also eliminated a terrorist launchpad used to infiltrate operatives across the Line of Control.
In light of the ongoing military confrontation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended civilian flight operations at 32 airports in northern and western India until May 15. The temporary closure, announced early Saturday, aims to ensure public safety and facilitate unimpeded military operations.
The affected airports include: Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jammu, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu-Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise, and Uttarlai.
The government has advised travelers to stay updated through official channels and avoid non-essential travel to affected regions.