Indian Missile Strikes Destroy Three Mosques in Pakistan During Operation Sindoor

In an escalation between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan, three mosques were destroyed by Indian missile strikes on May 7, 2025, during “Operation Sindoor.”

The attacks, which struck locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of at least two young civilians and widespread damage to religious and residential infrastructure.

Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad

One of the most devastating hits occurred in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

According to eyewitnesses and local media, 10–15 missiles slammed into various locations around the city before dawn.

Among the structures destroyed was a prominent mosque that also functioned as a madrasa. The blast killed a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy and sent residents fleeing their homes in panic.

Mosque in Kotli

A second mosque in Kotli, also in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, was similarly destroyed during the strikes.

Mosque in Bhawalpur

The missile strike on the mosque, collapsing its structure and damaging nearby homes. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with rescue teams recovering bodies from the rubble.

India asserts its strikes zeroed in on suspected militant compounds, backing its claim with satellite imagery purportedly showing remote structures, whereas Pakistan presented authenticated visual evidence of the demolished mosque and civilian residences, refuting the existence of militant bases.

While specific casualties from that site are not separated from the overall toll, local reports confirm multiple deaths and injuries in the area. Authorities have yet to provide a complete breakdown of fatalities by location, but initial counts place the overall death toll from Operation Sindoor at eight, with more than 35 injured.

India’s Justification and Pakistan’s Response

Indian defense officials claimed the strikes were part of a “targeted anti-terror operation” in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people—mostly tourists—dead.

India blamed the incident on Pakistan-based militant groups and maintained that its retaliation was “measured, non-escalatory, and aimed solely at terrorist infrastructure.”

Pakistan has strongly rejected these claims, labeling the missile strikes a “flagrant violation of sovereignty and an act of war.” Officials in Islamabad stated that the destroyed mosques were not affiliated with any militant activity and accused India of deliberately targeting civilian and religious sites.

Images of the destroyed mosques and the civilian toll have sparked widespread condemnation from Pakistani citizens and religious organizations.

Internationally, the strikes have drawn sharp concern from the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and multiple foreign governments. Calls for restraint have been issued as the threat of further military escalation looms.

As both India and Pakistan raise their alert levels, the destruction of religious sites has added an emotionally charged layer to an already volatile situation.

This is a developing story.

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