People carrying dead bodies of terrorists killed in India's missile strikes in Bahawalpur

In the early hours of May 7, 2025, India launched a series of coordinated missile strikes, codenamed Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

This operation was carried out in direct retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre on April 22, where 26 civilians, primarily Hindu tourists, were killed in a brutal terror attack. The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-based terrorist organizations, specifically Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both of which are designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations.

The strikes, executed jointly by the Indian Army and Air Force, lasted approximately 25 minutes and targeted nine locations identified as terror launch pads, training centres, and radicalization hubs. Key targets included the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur and the LeT nerve center in Muridke, both located in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Bahawalpur, in particular, is widely recognized as a stronghold of JeM and its leader, Maulana Masood Azhar.

Indian officials reported that the precision strikes resulted in the deaths of over 80 terrorists, with estimates at some sites, such as Bahawalpur and Muridke, ranging between 25 and 30 militants killed at each location. Among the casualties were reportedly 10 members of Masood Azhar’s family and several close associates, as acknowledged by Azhar himself. Indian intelligence agencies are continuing to verify the total number of casualties across all targeted sites.

India emphasized that the operation was “measured, non-escalatory, and proportionate,” with a strict focus on avoiding civilian and military casualties on the Pakistani side. The Defence Ministry stated that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted, underlining India’s intent to avoid escalation while delivering a decisive blow to terrorist infrastructure. The operation was conducted with a high degree of precision, using advanced weaponry such as Rafale jets armed with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs.

In the aftermath, the Indian Army declared “Justice is Served,” highlighting the operation’s objective of holding the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre accountable. The strikes marked the first time since the 1971 Indo-Pak war that India had conducted an aerial attack deep inside Pakistan’s Punjab province, signalling a significant escalation in India’s counter-terrorism strategy.

Pakistan, in response, condemned the strikes as a “blatant act of war,” claiming that Indian missiles had struck civilian areas, including mosques, and resulted in the deaths of 26 Pakistani civilians and injuries to 46 others.

Pakistan further claimed to have retaliated by downing Indian jets and inflicting damage on Indian infrastructure, though these claims were denied by Indian authorities. The situation along the Line of Control (LoC) escalated, with reports of heavy Pakistani artillery and mortar shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir, leading to additional casualties, including children.

The Indian government justified Operation Sindoor as a necessary and proportionate response to ongoing terrorist threats emanating from Pakistani soil, citing credible intelligence of further planned attacks. The strikes were also presented as being in line with United Nations Security Council directives to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorist acts accountable.

Operation Sindoor represents a significant and unprecedented military response by India to cross-border terrorism, with the destruction of multiple terror camps and the reported elimination of over 80 militants, including high-profile figures.

The operation has heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with both sides exchanging strong statements and military actions, while the international community watches closely for signs of further escalation.

Agencies