Two weeks after the Pahalgam attack, Indian tri-services targeted nine sites through precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
#PahalgamTerrorAttack
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 6, 2025
Justice is Served.
Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/Aruatj6OfA
In a statement, the Press Information Bureau said that ‘Operation Sindoor’ hit “terrorist infrastructure” in nine areas from where terrorist attacks against India have been “planned and directed”. “These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable.”
The press briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh maintained that no civilian or military targets were hit and that the strikes were only aimed at terror camps.
The briefing detailed why each of these sites were selected, referring to various attacks on Indian soil over the years, and their links to Ajmal Kasab and David Headley. It shared visuals of the Indian strikes as well as a map to point to the sites targeted by Operation Sindoor.
The government’s messaging also appeared on-point: Two women officers led the briefing about an operation named to honour the wives of the men killed in the Pahalgam attack.
Among the sites targeted were those in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. Bahawalpur has been a base for the Jaish-e-Mohammed, led by Maulana Masood Azhar. Muridke, located near Lahore, is the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terror group behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, led by Hafiz Saeed. The city also houses Markaz-e-Taiba, LeT’s main base. The Resistance Front, which is seen as a proxy of the LeT, had initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Kotli, in PoK, lies opposite Jammu across the Line of Control while Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, borders the Jammu and Kashmir districts of Baramulla and Kupwara to the east.
Meanwhile, at least three Indians died in Jammu and Kashmir in indiscriminate firing by Pakistan from across the Line of Control, according to officials quoted by news agency PTI. A report by The Indian Express later suggested the number had risen to seven.
Notably, a few newspapers like the Times of India, Navbharat Times and Amar Ujala managed to have the news about the strikes on their front page despite the ministry statement landing only around 1.50 am.
Pakistan said eight people were killed in what the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described as “an act of war”. Dawn quoted a military spokesperson to provide an “updated damage assessment of the scenario at around 4 am, reporting the death of eight civilians”. It later quoted the ISPR DG’s claim that the toll had risen to 26 while the number of injured were pegged at over 40.
Airlines hit, schools shut
Indian airlines cancelled many flights amid airspace restrictions. Air India said that in view of the prevailing situation, the airline has cancelled all its flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot till noon. According to SpiceJet, several airports in northern India, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar, are closed until further notice. IndiGo said flights were affected.
All educational institutions in five border districts of Jammu were closed. “In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today,” Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar wrote on X.
A holiday was declared in all schools in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer while a red alert has been declared in Uttar Pradesh.
Trump: ‘Hope it ends very quickly’
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he hoped “it ends very quickly”. Responding to a question, he said, “It’s a shame…You know they’ve been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually if you really think about it. Now, I just hope it ends very quickly.”
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo POTUS’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution,” Rubio said.
Meanwhile, politicians across the spectrum hailed the move in India.
“Proud of our armed forces. Operation Sindoor is Bharat’s 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 terrorism from its roots,” Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said “Bharat Mata ki jai” while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the “world must show zero tolerance for terrorism”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed pride in the armed forces. “Proud of our Armed Forces. Jai Hind!” Rahul Gandhi posted on X, shortly after the operation was confirmed by defence officials.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed the strikes and said the “Pakistani deep state must be taught such a harsh lesson that there is never another Pahalgam”.
In times of misinformation, you need news you can trust. We’ve got you covered. Subscribe to Newslaundry and power our work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
