New Delhi: In a strong response to the Pahargan terrorist attack, India released Operation Sindoor in early Wednesday morning, a decisive and high-intensity military strike that eliminated the core infrastructure of Jaish-ee-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-tayyaba, in Pakistan and Pakistan-pakistanan-pakistann-kashmircired. Frontline fighters, together with precision drones, hit nine high-value targets deep inside POK and BAKISTAN. Initial intelligence assessments showed that the Indian army and the Indian Air Force killed 70 to 100 terrorists in this joint operation.
India said the strikes were “accurate, non-estimated and measured” and had no targets for any civilian or military devices. Of the nine high-value targets, seven were hit by Army drones and “smart ammunition and precision weapons”, and the other two were razed to the ground by IAF’s Rafale and Sukhoi Fighter Jets. Indian fighters completed their mission with long-range missiles without crossing the border.
The operation lasted 25 minutes, from 1.05 am to 1.30 AM, and was resided in the operational room by defense personnel and all three service leaders, as well as the Foreign Secretary and the Supreme Security Officer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also monitoring the situation. Mr. Modi canceled his trip to the Three Kingdoms and, given the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, he will visit Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands from May 13 to 17.
The Prime Minister also chaired the Alliance Cabinet Meeting, which Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh briefly introduced to Sindoor's action. The entire cabinet showed the action and the Prime Minister's leadership with a heavy blow from the table. Mr. Modi once said that his government's “zero tolerance” for terror will “zero tolerance”. A senior security official said: “The complete surprise was achieved. Pakistan was completely unaware of it.” Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said India adopted a “response right” to the Pahargan terrorist attack and destroyed the targets according to the plan. Singh said: “We followed Lord Hanuman's ideal. As he said when he destroyed Ashok Vatika – 'Jin Mohi Maara, Tin Mohi Maare (I hit only those who attacked me) – we also target only those who killed our innocents.”
Five terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and four sites in Punjab, Pakistan targeted precise strikes, including those related to the 26/11 Mumbai attack, as well as Gulmag (2024) (2024), poonch (2023), Pilgrims, Pilgrims (June 2024) (June 2024), Pathankot Attrancer Attrics Base and Prister Air Forcer Base Base and Prestrang Attrip Attrip Attrip Attrip Attrip Airgam and Pahalgam. This is the first time since India’s goal in Punjab, Pakistan since the 1971 war, and it is a powerful message that no terrorists are safe.
The horror sites of the attack in Punjab, Pakistan include the Jaish headquarters in Bahwalpur, 100 kilometers from the international border. The Lashkar-e-Tayyaba headquarters in Muridke, Punjab, where 26/11 terrorists Ajmal Kasab and David Coleman Headley were trained, and four attacks were taken by India. At the Sawai Nala camp in Muzaffarabad in POK, the keys related to terrorists involved in Pahalgam make the training facilities targeted as well.
Pakistan resumed unwarranted shelling along the Line of Control and international borders, killing 14 civilians, including four children. Civilians in border areas are evacuated to safer places. As tensions escalate, about 27 dual-use (civilian and military) airports in western and central India were closed, which also affected domestic and international flights.
Shortly after the strike, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval introduced Operation Sindoor to his colleagues in the United States, Britain, Russia, Japan and Saudi Arabia. He spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently acting NSA there, as well as diplomatic adviser to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr Doval told his interlocutors that India had no intention of escalating tensions but was “ready to retaliate against Pakistan to do so”
Foreign Minister Vikram Misri said India decided to conduct a “proportionate” strike to bring the perpetrators and masterminds of the April 22 attack on Pahargam to justice because Pakistan did not have a “obvious step” to act on the terrorist infrastructure it controls its territory. “The Indian armed forces are fully prepared to respond to Pakistan's misfortune (if any) escalation,” said Vyomika Singh, the commander of the wing of IAF.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said he hopes the hostilities between India and Pakistan “end soon.” “What a pity,” he said. “We just heard about it when we walked into the Oval (office) door.” Mr. Trump said, “I just hope it ends soon.”
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with ministers from Japan, Germany, France and Spain on Wednesday and briefed them on India's strike on Pakistan's terrorist infrastructure and Pakistan's occupation – Kashmir. Several world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, have called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that the strikes by the Indian armed forces against Pakistani targets and pok's targets are a suitable answer to those who dare to challenge our borders, military and civilian challenges. At the meeting of Chief Ministers, Headquarters and Chief Secretary of countries with borders with Pakistan and Nepal, Mr. Shaa said that the Sindor operation, after specific input, was initiated against terrorist camps, a testament to the “zero tolerance” policy of the Narendra Modi government towards terrorism across the world.
