By Rohit Srivastava

Ending the speculations on how India would avenge the killing of 28 tourist at Pahalgam, Indian armed forces attacked several targets across Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) around mid-night on Wednesday.

“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. Altogether, nine (9) sites have been targeted,” Indian government said in a media release.

Four out of nine sites are Pakistan’s Bahawalpur and Muridke, the breeding ground of terrorist organizations and rest of them are in PoK around Muzaffarabad and Kotli. India, very aptly, has named the strikes as ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’ to avenge the tears of wailing widows of Pahalgam strike who witnessed brutal killing of their husbands.

“These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable.” the statement said.

India has reportedly used precision weapons, mainly air-launched ground-attack missiles in the strike.

In line with the Balakot air strike (2019) when India used long-range loitering munition to target the terrorist launch pad deep within Pakistan territory, today India has again used precision weapons to target the terror facilities.

India has refrained from targeting Pakistan military installation.

“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” statement clarified.

US President Statement

Reacting to the Indian strike, US president Donald Trump, during a press briefing said, “It's a shame, we just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They've been fighting for a long time. They've been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you really think about it.”

Declining to give any message, President Trump said, “No, I just hope it ends very quickly.”

“Shortly after the strikes, NSA Shri Ajit Doval spoke with US NSA and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and briefed him on the actions taken,” Indian Embassy in Washington informed.

Pakistan Reaction

Briefing Pakistan on the Indian strike,  Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry  said, "Some time ago from now, the cowardly enemy India launched air strikes on Subhanullah mosque in Bahwalpur’s Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air. All of our air force jets are airborne. This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They were never allowed to come and intrude into the space of Pakistan. Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing. This heinous provocation will not go unanswered." 

Meanwhile, Pakistani social media accounts have become the good sources of real-time information on the success of the operation. They have shared numerous clips of damaged building and rush at hospitals in strike location.