NEW DELHI: World leaders have reacted to India’s strikes on terror camps at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), expressing concern over the escalation of tensions in the region. They have urged New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise maximum restraint and defuse the situation through dialogue and diplomacy.
The precision strikes, jointly executed by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, were completed in a span of just 25 minutes—from 1.05 am to 1.30 am. The entire operation was carried out in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people.
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US Reaction: Trump and Rubio
US President Donald Trump, who was the first to react to India’s strikes, described the situation as a “shame” and hoped that the tensions ended quickly.
“It’s a shame. Just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They have been fighting for a long time. They have been fighting for many, many decades. I hope it ends very quickly,” Trump said.
US Reacts | Strikes by India on Pakistan
Donald Trump
“It (Pahalgam) was a shame. We just heard about it (counter strike) while walking in Oval. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on past. They’ve been fighting for decades. I hope..Rohan Dua reports pic.twitter.com/BvZjXvV4zA
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) May 6, 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced Trump’s remarks and said he was closely monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan.
“I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo @POTUS’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution,” he said.
Israel Strongly Backs India
Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said the Jewish nation backed New Delhi’s right to self-defence.
Israel supports India’s right for self defense. Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor
— 🇮🇱 Reuven Azar (@ReuvenAzar) May 7, 2025
“Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor,” he posted on X.
UN Calls for Maximum Restraint
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the Indian strikes and called for “maximum military restraint” from India and Pakistan.
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” his spokesperson said.
China: A Regrettable Situation
China described India’s military operations in Pakistan and PoK as “regrettable” and urged both countries to exercise restraint.
“China finds India’s military operation early this morning regrettable. We are concerned about the ongoing situation. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability,” a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Japan and UAE Advocate Dialogue
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed concern over escalation.
“For the peace and stability of South Asia, we strongly urge both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stabilize the situation through dialogue,” he stated.
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan urged both nations to de-escalate and pursue diplomacy.
“His Highness reaffirmed that diplomacy and dialogue remain the most effective means of peacefully resolving crises,” the UAE Foreign Ministry said.
Russia: Deep Concern
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova voiced deep concern.
“We are deeply concerned about the escalating military confrontation between India and Pakistan. We urge both sides to maintain restraint,” she said.
India’s Defence Ministry Statement
The Defence Ministry, in a statement issued at 1.44 am, confirmed the launch of Operation Sindoor.
“Altogether, nine (9) sites have been targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and the method of execution,” the statement read.
India has launched #OperationSindoor, a precise and restrained response to the barbaric #PahalgamTerrorAttack that claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali citizen. Focused strikes were carried out on nine #terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and…
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 6, 2025
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali citizen. It is part of India’s broader counter-terrorism strategy.
As the situation develops, world leaders continue to call for restraint and peaceful resolution between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
