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Among the key locations India struck were the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke.
In a significant escalation in its counter-terrorism strategy, India launched “Operation Sindoor” in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine high-value terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Among the key locations struck were the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke — two nerve centres long associated with cross-border terror operations against India.
Officials confirmed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out precision missile strikes on these facilities as part of a focused and strategic retaliation following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.
"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," the Defence Ministry said in a statement issued at 1:44 am.
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The ministry emphasized that the mission was “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature,” underlining that no Pakistani military assets were targeted in the operation.
Why Bahawalpur and Muridke?
Bahawalpur has served as the operational hub of JeM since 1999, when its founder Masood Azhar was released in exchange for passengers on hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814. Since then, the group has been linked to some of the most devastating terror attacks in India — including the 2000 J&K Assembly bombing, the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 strike on the Pathankot Air Force base, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing.
Azhar, now designated a global terrorist, has remained largely out of public view since 2019. Indian officials say JeM has received sustained support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), elements of the Afghan Taliban, Osama bin Laden, and sectarian groups within Pakistan.
Muridke, meanwhile, is just 30 km from Lahore and has been the base of Lashkar-e-Taiba since the 1990s. Led by Hafiz Saeed — who is also on India's most-wanted list — the LeT has been responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, most notably the 26/11 Mumbai terror siege. The group has also been linked to attacks in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and across Jammu and Kashmir.
“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution,” the Defence Ministry said, suggesting a calibrated response aimed at disrupting the operational backbone of these terror outfits without escalating military tensions.
By hitting these specific sites, Operation Sindoor sends a strong message that India’s counter-terror doctrine will now target not just operatives, but the roots of their infrastructure and leadership sanctuaries deep within hostile territory.
