Patna : India carried out coordinated airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of Wednesday as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’, prompting fresh tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
The Indian government said the operation was a “targeted response to cross-border terror threats” and stressed that no Pakistani military installations were struck. The precision strikes focused on camps allegedly linked to banned terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
“Focused strikes were carried out on nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting the roots of cross-border terror planning,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In retaliation, Pakistan’s military launched heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), targeting forward areas in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri districts. Indian officials reported mortar fire from locations including Krishna Ghati, Shahpur, Mankote, Laam, Manjakote and Gambeer Brahmana.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs also instructed states to conduct emergency mock drills across the country on Wednesday, amid concerns of potential escalations.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met behind closed doors to discuss the escalating situation. While no joint statement was issued, several members reportedly urged both nations to de-escalate and resume diplomatic dialogue. Pakistan’s delegation claimed its concerns were “largely served” during the deliberations.
The camps targeted during Operation Sindoor include:
- Sawai Nala, Muzaffarabad
- Syedna Bilal, Muzaffarabad
- Gulpur, Kotli
- Barnala, Bhimber
- Abbas, Kotli
- Bahawalpur
- Muridke
- Sarjal
- Joya
Civil aviation authorities suspended commercial flights over northern India temporarily in the aftermath of the strikes, although services were expected to resume later in the day.
As of Wednesday morning, both countries had not reported any civilian casualties, though the situation remained tense along the LoC and in diplomatic circles globally.
