In a powerful and precisely coordinated retaliation for the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 Hindu pilgrims, India launched a multi-pronged military offensive deep into enemy territory under the codename 'Operation Sindoor'. The strike, executed at 1:44 AM on Wednesday, marked a rare and decisive joint operation by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting and destroying nine Pakistani terror installations.
According to official sources, the pre-dawn assault was focused on terror hubs located in Kotli, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad, spread across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian Ministry of Defence described the mission as a "measured and focused response" that delivered justice for the Pahalgam victims while maintaining ethical targeting principles. Indian forces refrained from attacking Pakistani military installations and restricted their strikes solely to known terror infrastructure.
The Ministry declared the operation a success, with official statements noting that terrorist hideouts affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—groups long accused of orchestrating attacks on Indian soil—were neutralized. Sources indicate that 'kamikaze' suicide drones played a pivotal role in the first wave of the offensive, with guided missiles following shortly after.
A chilling message preceded the strike: at 1:24 AM, Indian intelligence issued a final warning. Just four minutes later, at 1:28 AM, the Indian Army posted a cryptic but firm declaration on social media: “Ready to attack, trained to win.” By 1:44 AM, Indian precision weaponry had begun raining down on the identified targets.
Islamabad acknowledged the assault, stating that three civilians were killed and 12 others injured. In a reactive move, Pakistan shut down air operations at Lahore and Sialkot airports, a signal of heightened alert and regional volatility.
This marked the first direct missile-based strike inside Pakistan by India since the 1971 Indo-Pak war, but unlike past escalations, Indian forces did not cross the Line of Control, instead leveraging stand-off capabilities and advanced drone technology.
Operation Sindoor sends a stark message—not just to Pakistan, but to terror networks across the region—that India will no longer tolerate the use of proxy militancy under the guise of plausible deniability. With its emphasis on restraint, surgical precision, and non-civilian targeting, the strike reflects a strategic doctrine of proportional, pre-emptive defense, aimed at crippling militant logistics while avoiding wider war.
Further details of the operation are expected to be released by the Ministry of Defence in the coming days, but the tone has been set: India has redrawn the lines of engagement.