Operation Sindoor: India Launches Airstrikes on Terror Sites in Pakistan & AJK
India conducts “Operation Sindoor,” striking 9 terror-related sites across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir after a deadly Kashmir attack. Pakistan confirms explosions in Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad and vows retaliation.
In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, the Indian armed forces launched a surprise military operation early Wednesday morning, targeting nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Azad Jammu and Kashmir - AJK). Dubbed “Operation Sindoor”, the strikes reportedly focused on what India described as “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan and direct attacks against its territory.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the operation was carried out with precision and restraint, avoiding direct military facilities and aiming only at identified militant sites. “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature,” said the official statement. “No Pakistani military assets were targeted.”
The Indian government justified the move as retaliation for a brutal terrorist assault on Hindu pilgrims in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, which left 26 people dead. While no group officially claimed responsibility, Indian intelligence traced the planning of the attack to groups operating from within Pakistan.
Explosions were heard in Muzaffarabad, Kotli (AJK), and Ahmedpur East in Bahawalpur (Punjab), according to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The strikes reportedly caused damage to buildings and civilian areas, with some casualties confirmed, including a child in Bahawalpur. Power outages followed the attacks in parts of AJK, further intensifying the chaos.
Pakistan’s military has acknowledged the strikes, stating that “India launched missiles into three areas: Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad.” In response, Pakistan has vowed to retaliate at a time and place of its choosing.
The development has alarmed regional observers, given that both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed. The airstrikes are the most significant cross-border military action since the 2019 Balakot strike. Tensions remain high, and diplomatic communications between the two nations are reportedly strained.
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