In a bold and strategically executed military move, India launched a precision strike on Muridke in Pakistan’s Punjab province as part of its larger operation named ‘Operation Sindoor’, aimed at avenging the brutal Pahalgam terror attack. This operation, carried out jointly by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, marks the first tri-service strike since the 1971 war — a significant show of force and unity.
The target, Muridke, is no ordinary town. Just 40 kilometers from Lahore, it serves as the operational core of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — the terror organization believed to be responsible for orchestrating the April 22 massacre of 26 civilians, most of whom were Hindu tourists, in Baisaran near Pahalgam. Muridke houses the sprawling 200-acre headquarters of LeT and its front, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, complete with training camps, ideological indoctrination centers, and logistical infrastructure. For years, it has functioned as the ideological and operational nursery of jihad in Pakistan, openly under the leadership of UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed.
But Muridke was just one of multiple carefully chosen targets. The Indian Armed Forces also struck Bahawalpur — home to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leadership, including its chief Masood Azhar, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Additionally, strikes were conducted in Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reinforcing India’s commitment to dismantling terror bases across the region.
Importantly, Bahawalpur and Kotli had previously featured in Indian strategic considerations during the post-Pulwama Balakot strikes in 2019. Their selection now signals India’s persistent intelligence monitoring and long-term military preparedness.
The Indian Ministry of Defence characterized the 1:44 AM operation as “precise, deliberate, and non-escalatory” — calibrated to avoid targeting Pakistani military assets while sending an unmistakable message: India will not remain passive in the face of terrorism. The official statement underscored that the objective was retaliation, not provocation, and aimed at holding perpetrators accountable without dragging the region into wider conflict.
Despite the clarity of India's intent, Pakistan has reacted by violating the ceasefire agreement at multiple points along the Line of Control, including artillery fire in the Poonch-Rajouri sector. The Indian Army, in turn, is responding with measured but firm retaliatory fire, adhering to the doctrine of proportional response.
Diplomatically, India has voiced its disappointment with Pakistan's habitual denial and inaction in response to cross-border terrorism. Rather than cracking down on terror outfits operating with impunity on its soil, Islamabad has resorted to familiar deflection tactics, even as global pressure mounts on it to clean house.
‘Operation Sindoor’ stands not just as a response to a terror attack — it is a loud declaration of India’s red lines. It reflects a new doctrine: restraint will not be mistaken for weakness, and justice will no longer be outsourced to international diplomacy. Instead, India has chosen to define its own deterrence — through precision, planning, and power.