At the break of midnight, as India was fast asleep, the armed forces struck nine terror camps in Pakistan in one of the most expansive retaliatory strikes by India in recent years. The daring operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, caught Pakistan off guard as all three forces launched precision missile attacks under the cover of darkness in retaliation for the Pahalgam carnage that left 26 tourists dead.
The government said the strikes hit infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. A rattled Pakistan was quick to term the strikes an “act of war”.
Operation Sindoor: What happened
In fact, a detailed statement was released by the Indian embassy in Washington pointing to “credible leads” on involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the Pahalgam attack. The strategic messaging was to control the narrative globally and get America on board.
Altogether, nine locations were targeted, including Bhawalpur, the stronghold of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Muridke, the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (which was behind the Pahalgam attack), Gulpur, â Bhimber, Chak Amru, Bagh, Kotli, â Sialkot and Muzaffarabad were also targeted.
Rafale fighter jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles, designed for deep strikes, and Hammer bombs, air-to-ground precision-guided munitions, were used for the airstrikes inside Pakistani territory.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has held a flurry of meetings since the Pahalgam attack, constantly monitored Operation Sindoor throughout the night. The PM had vowed that India would “identify, track, and punish” every terrorist and their backers.
In response to the strikes, the Pakistani army opened artillery fire along the Line of Control in the Poonch-Rajouri area, killing three civilians. This is the 13th consecutive day that Pakistan has violated ceasfire.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the Indian strikes an “act of war” and said a befitting reply would be given. Pakistan claimed that civilians, including women and children, were killed in the strikes.
Flight operations have been suspended at key airports, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar. Moreover, no civilian flights will be operated from Srinagar airport today. Schools and colleges in parts of Kashmir will remain shut today.
Following the strikes, India briefed several leading countries, including the US, Russia, the UK and Saudi Arabia. In his first comments, US President Donald Trump called the incident a “shame” and said he knew something was going to happen.
