In the aftermath of the brutal Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, 2025, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While Pakistan claims 26 people-including civilians-were killed in the strikes, Indian officials insist the operation was a focused response against terror infrastructure, with no civilian or military sites targeted.
Indian armed forces carried out coordinated land and air strikes on nine identified terror hubs, including camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Senior Indian Army officers and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that only terrorist facilities were hit, and great care was taken to avoid civilian casualties. “No military installation was targeted in Pakistan,” said Colonel Sophia Qureshi, adding that the strikes were “restrained” and “measured.Pakistani authorities allege that 26 people-including civilians-were killed in the strikes, and several mosques were hit. Initial reports from Pakistani media put the civilian death toll lower, but the official narrative has since escalated. Indian sources confirm over 70 terrorists were killed and more than 60 injured, including mid- and high-ranking commanders. India acknowledges regret for any civilian casualties but attributes such risks to terrorists embedding camps in populated areas.
Following the strikes, Pakistan resorted to heavy artillery shelling across the Line of Control, prompting India to move civilians in J&K border areas to bunkers for safety. Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened an emergency cabinet meeting to assess the situation and coordinate further action. The operation has drawn global attention, with calls for restraint as both nuclear-armed neighbors stand on high alert.
Operation Sindoor was launched to deliver justice for the Pahalgam attack victims and to dismantle the terror infrastructure that has targeted India for decades. Indian officials have reiterated that the action was “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” and that terror groups often use civilian areas as shields, complicating efforts to avoid collateral damage.