In a swift and targeted military operation, the Indian Armed Forces conducted Operation Sindoor, striking nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, 2025, in response to a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The operation, aimed at crippling the infrastructure of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was a direct retaliation for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, according to India Today.
A primary target was a madrasa in Bahawalpur, Punjab, linked to JeM leader Maulana Masood Azhar, a UN-designated global terrorist. The strikes killed at least 17 terrorists and injured 60 others, with significant damage to the madrasa. Posts on X, indicated that 10 of Azhar’s family members, including his sister and brother-in-law, and four close aides were among the casualties, though these claims await official confirmation. Azhar’s own status remains unverified.
Named Operation Sindoor by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 25-minute operation involved coordinated missile strikes, possibly with drones, by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The targets included JeM’s Bahawalpur headquarters and LeT’s Muridke base, both linked to past attacks like the 2001 Parliament assault and the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Indian Army spokesperson Col. Sophia Qureshi, quoted by India Today, stated the strikes aimed to “dismantle the terrorist backbone” post-Pahalgam.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the strikes as an “act of war,” alleging 26 civilian deaths and 46 injuries. India, however, insisted only terrorist sites were hit, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri calling Pakistan a “terrorist sanctuary.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as reported by India Today, said he is monitoring the situation and urged de-escalation.
Domestically, the operation received broad support, with the Congress party backing the military action. Jammu and Kashmir heightened security, closing schools for 72 hours and deploying Army aircraft in the Kashmir Valley. The strikes, executed with precision, reflect India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism, with investigations ongoing to evaluate the full extent of the damage.