Trump urges India, Pakistan to de-escalate after Indian strikes on terror camps post-Pahalgam attack

India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists. The Indian Defence Ministry confirmed the strikes, stating they were “precise and restrained” and did not target any Pakistani military installations, in line with India’s “calibrated and non-escalatory approach.”

According to Indian officials, the airstrikes hit sites in Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Muridke and Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province. These locations are linked to terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which Indian agencies believe were involved in orchestrating the Pahalgam attack. The Defence Ministry said the strikes were meant to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation.

Following the strikes, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that five sites were hit and said the country "retains the right to respond forcefully." The Pakistan Army also continued its ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, opening artillery fire in the Bhimber Gali area of the Poonch-Rajauri sector, where hostilities have persisted for over ten days. No immediate reports of casualties were available from either side at the time of the strike confirmation.

US President Donald Trump, reacting to the developments, said at a press conference, “It’s a shame, we just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past.” He added, “They’ve been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you think about it. No, I just hope it ends very quickly.” Trump did not assign blame and urged both countries to de-escalate.

Following the airstrikes, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with US NSA and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefing him on the operation. A spokesperson from the US State Department said, “We are aware of the reports, however we have no assessment to offer at this time. This remains an evolving situation, and we are closely monitoring developments.” On the same day, India also carried out nationwide civil defence mock drills, the first since 1971, and the Indian Air Force held large-scale military exercises along the international border in Rajasthan.