New Delhi, May 7
India on Wednesday carried out its deepest strike inside Pakistan's undisputed borders since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, CNN reported. The cross-border strikes mark New Delhi's most significant military action within Pakistani territory in over five decades.
According to CNN, Pakistan said five locations were hit by India--three in PoJK and two in Pakistan's Punjab province. The Punjab locations included Ahmadpur East and Muridke.
However, sources told ANI that Indian armed forces successfully struck nine terror targets--four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)--using special precision munitions or Kamikaze drones in a coordinated operation.
The operation, named Operation Sindoor, was jointly conducted by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. It involved the mobilisation of assets and troops. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring the operation throughout the night, sources confirmed to ANI. All nine targets were successfully struck, sources added.
Indian forces selected the targets with the intent of eliminating top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders involved in planning and executing terrorist attacks in India.
CNN also reported that the last time India struck inside Pakistan's undisputed territory was in 2019, when Indian fighter jets carried out airstrikes following a deadly suicide bombing in Pulwama that killed over 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Defence stated, In the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian Army 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.
"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution," the statement added.
The Ministry said the strikes were in response to the "barbaric" terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed. The government reiterated its commitment to hold those responsible accountable.
Precision strike weapon systems from all three services, including loitering munitions, were used in the operation. The coordinates were provided by Indian intelligence agencies, and all strikes were launched from Indian soil.
- ANI