The Indian armed forces carried out targeted military strikes early Wednesday on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians last month. The operation, named ‘Operation Sindoor,’ hit nine key sites, including headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
‘Operation Sindoor’ Targets Nine Sites
In a statement released around 1:45 am, the Indian Army said:
“A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor,’ striking terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK from where attacks against India have been planned and directed.”
The Army emphasized that the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” clarifying that no Pakistani military installations were targeted. The action comes two weeks after the Pahalgam massacre, in which 25 Indian tourists and one Nepali citizen were killed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a high-level meeting on April 29, had granted the armed forces full operational freedom to decide the mode, targets, and timing of their response.
Pakistani Shelling Along LoC Injures Civilians
Shortly after India’s strikes, Pakistani forces resorted to heavy mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials reported intense shelling in Poonch and Rajouri districts, and in the Karnah sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
In Mankote village, a woman and her daughter were injured when their house was struck by mortar shells. One of them is critically injured and both are being evacuated to hospital. The shelling forced residents to take shelter in underground bunkers, officials said.
Indian troops retaliated, and cross-border shelling continued at several points.
9 Civilians, Including 3 Children, Injured in Uri Shelling
At least nine civilians, including three children, were injured and several houses damaged after Pakistani forces allegedly carried out heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, officials and locals said.
Schools, Colleges Closed in Two Kashmir Districts
As a precautionary measure, authorities announced the closure of all schools and colleges in Baramulla, Kupwara, and Gurez for the day. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri urged residents to remain alert but calm, and to follow official advisories.
Tensions Remain High
This latest escalation follows weeks of heightened tensions after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty post-Pahalgam attack. Pakistani troops have since violated the ceasefire multiple times along the LoC, extending from Kupwara and Baramulla in north Kashmir to Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.
The ceasefire violations come despite recent hotline talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries.
A powerful explosion was also reported in Ramban’s Panthiyal sub-division, though its cause remains unclear.
