India-Pakistan conflict: Armed forces share detailed account of terror hubs targeted in Operation Sindoor

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that the strikes took place between 1.05 AM to 1.30AM on Wednesday morning.

Operation Sindoor: In a detailed briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Wednesday's strikes were a strong response to "barbaric and deadly" Pahalgam terror attack that was aimed at disrupting normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. Stating that the Indian attacks were non-escalatory, he emphasised that India is ready to handle escalation from Pakistan.

Stating that the operation was India's right to dismantle terror infrastructure, foreign secretary said, "On 22 April 2025, terrorists related to LeT and Pakistan attacked tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam and killed 25 Indian nationals and 1 Nepali citizen. They shot tourists in the head in front of their family members. The family were threatened and told to convey the message of that barbarism. Since tourism was again flourishing in J&K, and hence the main aim of the attack was to damage that."

"A group called the Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for Pahalgam attack. This group is connected with Lashkar-e Taiba. Pakistan links have been established in this attack," he added.

"On April 25, Pakistan's pressure to remove the reference to TRF from the media release of UNSC shouldn't be ignored. Pahalgam terrorist attack has exposed the links of Pakistan with terrorists," he further said.

"Our intelligence indicated that further attacks against India are impending. Thus, compulsion, both to deter and prevent and hence earlier this morning, India exercised its right to respond to deter such more cross-border terrorism. Our actions were measured and non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible. They focused on dismantling terrorists' infrastructure," he informed.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor| Col. Sofiya Qureshi, while addressing the media, presents videos showing multiple hits on the Mundrike and other terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoJK. pic.twitter.com/Ih21EklEe5
ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

Seated beside foreign secretary, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that the strikes took place between 1.05 AM to 1.30AM on Wednesday morning. She said, "Operation Sindoor was launched to give justice to victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and destroyed."

Sharing other details of the Indian airstrikes, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, "Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed. The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives."

#WATCH |Delhi | #OperationSindoor| Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, "Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed... pic.twitter.com/Gmw6WHrYVO ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

The armed forces carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.

#WATCH | Government of India presentation on the terrorist attacks in India, at media briefing on #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/uE03V2r9hEANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

"A little while ago, the Indian Armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed," the defence ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am.

Calling the operation "a precise and restrained response to the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives," it informed, "Focused strikes were carried out on nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting the roots of cross-border terror planning. Importantly, no Pakistani military facilities were hit, reflecting India’s calibrated and non-escalatory approach. This operation underscores India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation."

Also Read: Operation Sindoor Live Blog - India strikes 9 targets in Pak, PoK

PTI quoted sources as saying that the strikes on all nine targets were successful and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring Operation Sindoor closely. It is learnt that the Indian armed forces used stand-off weapons, drones and precision munitions, besides other weapons in the strike.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the Indian missile strikes an "act of war" and said his country has every right to give a "befitting reply".

Sources added that the strikes on all nine targets were successful and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring Operation Sindoor closely. It is learnt that the Indian armed forces used stand-off weapons, drones and precision munitions, besides other weapons in the strike.

Also Read: Striking at heart of JeM, Hizbul, Lashkar: All about 9 terror targets struck by India to avenge Pahalgam

Muridke, about 30 km from Lahore, is home to a sprawling 'markaz' or base of the LeT. Bahawalpur is the main stronghold of the JeM. Both are in Pakistan Punjab.

The other targets -- Kotli and Muzaffarabad -- are regions in PoK where both LeT and JeM have for long had camps and training facilities, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The targets included Hizbul Mujahideen's facility in Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, LeT's base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad's Shawai Nalla. India also struck at JeM's Markaz Abbas facility in Kotli.

The carefully named Operation Sindoor is a reference to the vermilion that married Hindu women wear on their forehead or in the parting of their hair to signify their marital status. It is a hat tip to the women who lost their husbands in the April 22 attack in the upper reaches of Kashmir's Pahalgam town.

India has launched #OperationSindoor, a precise and restrained response to the barbaric #PahalgamTerrorAttack that claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali citizen. Focused strikes were carried out on nine #terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 6, 2025

India's actions came two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack triggered widespread outrage in India and abroad.

In a post on 'X' in Hindi shortly after the strikes, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said: "Long live Mother India!" (Bharat Mata Ki Jai)." "The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar added.

"Justice is Served," the Indian Army said in its post.

Proud of our armed forces.#OperationSindoor is Bharats response to the brutal killing of our innocent brothers in Pahalgam.The Modi government is resolved to give a befitting response to any attack on India and its people. Bharat remains firmly committed to eradicating Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 7, 2025

After the operation, India reached out to several leading countries, including the US, Russia, the UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia and briefed them about the military strike on the nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, the sources said. "Senior Indian officials have spoken to their counterparts in a number of countries to brief them on the steps taken by India," said a source.

The operation came days after Modi gave the armed forces full freedom to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack.

In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass, the prime minister on April 29 gave the armed forces "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of the response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

PM also emphasised the national resolve to deal a "crushing blow to terrorism".