New Delhi: In a forceful response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, India launched precision strikes early Wednesday targeting key terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. At least 30 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operatives were reported killed in Bahawalpur, a known JeM stronghold, as part of Operation Sindoor, according to officials.
The Indian Defence Ministry confirmed that the military action was executed at 1:44 am, striking nine terror-linked locations, including JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) facilities in Muridke, both located in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
In an official statement, the ministry clarified that the strikes were “precise and restrained,” with careful selection of targets to avoid escalating tensions. It also stressed that no Pakistani military assets were attacked.
“A short while ago, Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir—sites from where attacks on India have been coordinated,” the ministry said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote in Hindi: “Bharat Mata Ki Jai!” following the successful execution of the operation.
The Indian Army also declared the mission a success with a brief message on X: “Justice is served.” The operation came just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted full operational autonomy to the armed forces to respond decisively to the Pahalgam massacre.
During a high-level security meeting on April 29, PM Modi had directed the military leadership to determine the timing, scale, and nature of the response, underscoring the government’s firm resolve to combat terrorism with an iron hand.