In a powerful response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, the Indian Armed Forces have carried out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Among the targets was the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur, Punjab — a major hub of the banned terror outfit. The strike, part of Operation Sindoor, was launched in the dead of night and resulted in the destruction of several high-value targets. According to reports, the attack killed 10 members of JeM chief Masood Azhar’s family and four of his close aides. Azhar himself later confirmed the deaths and expressed deep anguish, stating, “Ten members of my family and four close companions were killed. It would have been better if I had died instead.”
Casualties reportedly include Azhar’s elder sister, the entire family of Maulana Kashaf Sahib, grandchildren of Shaheed and Mufti Abdul Rauf, and the husband and children of Azhar’s niece, Baji Saadia. Jaish-e-Mohammed acknowledged the deaths, claiming that women and children were among those killed in the airstrikes. The Indian government said the operation was a direct retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre, in which many victims were reportedly targeted based on their religion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier vowed, “Terrorists will be answered in the language they understand. They will be punished in a way they never imagined.” Operation Sindoor was the fulfilment of that pledge.
Masood Azhar, a UN-designated global terrorist, is one of India’s most wanted fugitives. He was released in 1999 in exchange for hostages after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814. Since then, he has been the mastermind behind several major attacks on Indian soil, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2000 Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly bombing, the 2016 Pathankot Airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. The success of Operation Sindoor marks a significant moment in India's ongoing fight against cross-border terrorism.