NEW DELHI (Diya TV) —The Indian Armed Forces launched a series of coordinated air strikes early Wednesday under Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir (PJK), Indian government officials said.

The strikes, carried out between 1:05 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. local time, hit four targets in Pakistan and five in PJK. 

“India’s actions were focused and precise,” National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a call shortly after the operation, according to a statement from the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. “They were measured, responsible, and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani civilian, economic, or military targets were hit. Only known terror camps were targeted.”

“These actions were driven by credible intelligence, targeting only terrorist infrastructure to disable militants likely to be sent across to India,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a press briefing in New Delhi. He stressed that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted, and there were no reports of collateral damage from Indian sources.

However, Pakistan disputed the claim, alleging civilian casualties, including women and children. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan military, confirmed the Indian strikes, declaring that “Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its own choosing.”

According to a Indian Government release, the targets included several long-identified terror training and staging camps. These included:

  • Sawai Nala and Syedna Bilal camps in Muzaffarabad (PJK): Used by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) respectively, both were linked to major attacks in Sonmarg, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam in recent years.

  • Gulpur and Abbas camps in Kotli (PJK): Served as bases for fidayeen (suicide) squads and militants active in Rajouri and Poonch.

  • Barnala camp in Bhimber (PJK): Focused on jungle survival and weapons training.

In Pakistan proper, four major facilities were hit:

  • Sarjal and Mehmoona Joya camps in Sialkot: Involved in the training of terrorists responsible for attacks on J&K police and the Pathankot air base.

  • Markaz Taiba in Muridke: A notorious LeT training facility linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks; Ajmal Kasab and David Headley were trained here.

  • Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur: The headquarters of JeM, known for indoctrination and recruitment operations.

Speaking at a defense briefing, Col. Sofiya Qureshi said, “Targets were chosen based on credible intelligence and direct involvement in past attacks.” She emphasized that “specific buildings or groups of buildings were selected to minimize collateral damage.”

The strikes came just over two weeks after a brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 Indian tourists were killed by militants. According to the Indian government, the attack was carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists to undermine normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly targeting its booming tourism sector, which drew a record 23 million visitors in 2024.

“This was a calculated move to disrupt development and provoke communal discord,” said Misri. “But the designs were foiled by the resilience of the people and the proactive response of the government.”

The Indian Government revealed that more than 350 Indian civilians have been killed in cross-border terrorism over the past decade, with over 800 injured. Additionally, over 600 security personnel have lost their lives during this period.

Following the strikes, India suspended commercial flights over northern airspace, affecting civilian travel. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Air Force confirmed that all its aircraft had been scrambled.

Though the Indian side emphasized the pre-emptive and defensive nature of the operation, tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors remain high. Analysts noted that both countries have signaled restraint so far, but the situation remains fluid.

India stated that the strikes were conducted entirely from Indian airspace, underlining its strategic restraint while still sending a strong deterrent message.

“India has exercised its right to pre-empt and respond to terrorism decisively,” Misri said. “We have dismantled the infrastructure used to wage war against our people.”