Indian Armed forces conducted missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday (May 7, 2025), in retaliation to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen were killed. The targeted terror sites include Bahawalpur, considered stronghold of teror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad and Muridke.
Dubbed Operation Sindoor, the strikes left over 100 terrorists dead unleashing a lethal blow to terror spine Jaish-e-Mohammad network. The military operation left Abdul Rauf Azhar, brother of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, key architect of major terror attacks including 2001 Parliament attack, 2016 Pathankot strike and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, critically injured. A video which went viral showed precision of the Indian attack leaving Pakistan’s denial of these terror hubs, high and dry. The Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur was hit hard, killing nine of Azhar’s family members.
Briefing reporters on ‘Operation Sindoor’, at a Ministry of Defence briefing on May 7, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said, “The Armed forces conducted Operation Sindoor on the night of May 6 and 7 between 1.05 am and 1.30 am. Nine terror camps were targeted and destroyed completell. Terror infrastructures such as centres for recruitment, indoctrination and launch pads are present in Pakistan and PoK.”
The government, however, maintained that no Pakistani military infrastructure was attacked, and the selected sites were chosen with care to prevent the loss of civilian lives.
Giving initial reactions to Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif termed it an ‘Act of War’. Despite India having made available ample proofs of terror camps being targeted, Pakistan continued to make claims that the strikes killed civilians, including women and children.
Meanwhile Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while apeaking at the National Quality Conclave in New Delhi on May 08, 2025 said “Operation Sindoor was successfully executed because of our formidable & professionally-trained Armed Forces were equipped with high-quality equipment,”. He commended the precision with which the Armed Forces executed the operation without harming any innocent person and with minimum collateral damage, terming it as unimaginable and a matter of great pride for the nation.
“In Operation Sindoor, nine terror camps were destroyed in Pakistan & PoK, and a good number of terrorists were killed. It shows the crucial role ‘quality’ plays in securing national interests,” said Singh.
He asserted that India has always played the role of a responsible nation exercsing great restraint and it believes in resolving issues through dialogue, however, if anyone tries to take advantage of this restraint, they will face ‘quality action’. He assured the nation that no limit will become an obstacle for the Government in protecting India’s sovereignty. “We are fully prepared for such responsible responses in the future as well,” he said.
