25 minutes, 9 terror camps, at least 70 terrorists: How Indian Army executed Operation Sindoor

NEW DELHI: The Indian armed forces on Wednesday executed a meticulously planned retaliatory strike, codenamed 'Operation Sindoor', dismantling nine terrorist camps nestled within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).The operation, carried out in a rapid 25-minute window between 1.05 am and 1.30 am today, targeted key infrastructure belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.Details of the operation were unveiled in a press briefing held in the national capital this afternoon, where foreign secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the nation.Foreign secretary asserted that the 'barbaric' Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives aimed to "undermine normalcy returning to Kashmir," making a firm response imperative.Vikram Misri said that Indian intelligence agencies had been monitoring terrorist activities and raised concerns regarding more terrorist attacks in India."Our intelligence indicated that further attacks against India are impending. Thus, compulsion, both to deter and prevent and hence earlier this morning, India exercised its right to respond to deter such more cross-border terrorism... Our actions were measured and non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible. They focused on dismantling terrorists' infrastructure," he said.Colonel Sofiya Qureshi provided a detailed breakdown of the targeted sites, presenting visual evidence of their destruction. The nine terror camps targeted were:Wing Commander Vyomika Singh emphasised the strategic rationale behind 'Operation Sindoor'. "Nine terror camps were targeted and destroyed" in direct retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, she stated. She further highlighted the extensive terror infrastructure maintained by Pakistan for three decades, comprising 21 recruitment and launch pad centers."The targets for Operation Sindoor were based on credible intelligence inputs and locations that were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of civilian lives," Wing Commander Singh affirmed.The armed forces employed an array of weaponry, including SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided bombs, and advanced loitering munitions.