India launched Operation Sindoor late Wednesday night. This marks the country’s most powerful military response since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes and the 2016 surgical strikes after the Uri attack. The operation followed the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people, including tourists and locals.
Balakot Airstrike – February 26, 2019
After the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019 — where 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir — India launched airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in the early hours of February 26, 2019.
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This was the first time since the 1971 war that Indian fighter jets crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and entered deep into Pakistani territory.
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The target was a large terrorist training camp situated on a hilltop in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which India claimed housed a significant number of JeM terrorists, including trainers and senior commanders.
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India called it a “non-military, preemptive strike” aimed at preventing future terror attacks.
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The Indian Air Force used Mirage 2000 fighter jets and precision-guided bombs during the operation.
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Pakistan responded the next day (Feb 27) by attempting an aerial strike of its own, leading to the capture of Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was later released.
This airstrike marked a significant escalation in India-Pakistan tensions and showcased India’s willingness to respond forcefully to terrorism launched from Pakistani soil.
Forces Target Nine Terror Camps
The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force worked together to carry out the operation. They used precision-guided missiles to strike nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Though officials did not reveal the exact weapons used, the attacks appeared to be highly accurate.
Locations of the Strikes
Indian forces hit the following terror hubs:
Bahawalpur: JeM headquarters, located 100 km from the International Border. Masood Azhar, its chief, was born here in 1968.
Muridke: A LeT training facility, 30 km from the Samba border.
Gulpur: Located in the Poonch-Rajouri area near the LoC.
Sawai: LeT camp 30 km inside PoK’s Tangdhar sector.
Bilal Camp: A known JeM launchpad.
Kotli Camp: LeT site just 15 km from the LoC, opposite Rajouri.
Barnala Camp: 10 km from the LoC, also opposite Rajouri.
Sarjal Camp: JeM camp 8 km from the Samba-Kathua border.
Mehmoona Camp: HM training facility, 15 km from the Sialkot border.
Bahawalpur a Key JeM Base
Bahawalpur holds major importance. It is a well-known JeM stronghold. Masood Azhar, one of the terrorists freed in the 1999 IC-814 hijack deal, leads the group. This city lies close to India’s Rajasthan border, across the Thar Desert.
India Confirms the Operation
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the strikes in a statement at 1:44 am. It said: “A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”
It further added: “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution.”
PM Modi Monitored the Operation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tracked Operation Sindoor throughout the night. He had earlier given the military full freedom to retaliate after the Pahalgam killings. Soon after the strikes, the Indian Army posted on X: “Justice is served.” Rajnath Singh Hails the Forces: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also shared a post on X in Hindi: “Bharat Mata Ki Jai!”
