In retaliation for the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army launched a major offensive under "Operation Sindoor" on Tuesday night. The strikes, which began at 9 pm, specifically targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence. The Defence Ministry clarified that the purpose of Operation Sindoor was solely to eliminate terrorist infrastructure and not to provoke or engage the Pakistani military. No Pakistani military installations were targeted.
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In a midnight statement, the Indian Armed Forces confirmed the launch of Operation Sindoor, aimed at destroying terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoK that were directly involved in planning and carrying out attacks on India. A total of nine locations were targeted in precision air strikes around 1:30 am.
The strikes were in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed. India had earlier warned of strong retaliation.
Locations Targeted in the Strikes:
Bahawalpur: Located 100 km from the International Border; HQ of Jaish-e-Mohammed, reportedly destroyed in the strikes.
Muridke: A Lashkar-e-Taiba hub 30 km from the border, with links to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Gulpur: A militant base 35 km from the Line of Control (LoC).
Lashkar Camp Sawai: Located 30 km from the Thangadhar sector in PoK.
Bilal Camp: A Jaish-e-Mohammed launchpad used to infiltrate terrorists into India.
Kotli: A Lashkar training centre housing over 50 militants, just 15 km from the LoC.
Barnala Camp: Situated 10 km from the LoC.
Sarjal Camp: A JeM training camp, 8 km from the international border opposite Samba-Kathua.
Mehmuna Camp: A Hizbul Mujahideen training site, 15 km from the border.