In the early hours of Wednesday, India launched a series of precision strikes on terror hubs located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in a mission codenamed Operation Sindoor. The government described the strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory”.
The strikes come just days after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 individuals, stirring national outrage and prompting top-level security discussions. According to a government statement issued around 2 AM, the operation targeted terrorist infrastructure used to orchestrate attacks on Indian soil.
Sources told India Today TV that the mission was a coordinated effort involving all three branches of the armed forces. Nine locations were reportedly hit across Pakistan and PoK, including Bahawalpur and Mudrike—areas known to house the leadership of notorious terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Notably, all Indian Air Force pilots involved in the operation returned safely.
In a symbolic message shared on social media, the Indian Army declared, “Justice is served,” unveiling the mission’s codename and indicating a closure for many following the Pahalgam tragedy.
Pakistan, meanwhile, responded swiftly with a stern warning. According to AFP, Islamabad has vowed to retaliate “at a time and place of its choosing”. Citing Pakistani military sources, Geo News reported that the strikes resulted in eight fatalities and over a dozen injuries, with Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad among the areas hit.
The cross-border action comes at a time of heightened tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, several senior Indian leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, publicly committed to delivering a strong response. That intent materialised after a high-level security meeting, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly granted “full operational freedom” to the armed forces.
“We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” the government emphasised in its official statement.
A comprehensive briefing on Operation Sindoor is expected later today, which will likely shed more light on the scale, objectives, and impact of the mission.
