Operation Sindoor: How world leaders reacted to India's anti-terror strikes in Pakistan, PoK

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday carried out "Operation Sindoor" against terror camps operating in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), destroying Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training bases.The military operation, undertaken to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22, was "focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature."The Indian forces selected these locations with the intent of targeting key JeM and LeT leadership, responsible for sponsoring terrorism in India. The operation targeted nine locations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed’s base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s hub in Muridke. Utilising advanced precision weapons and intelligence-based targeting, the Army, Navy, and Air Force coordinated the strikes without engaging Pakistani military sites.After the government confirmed carrying out retaliatory strikes against terrorism, senior Indian officials spoke to their counterparts in US, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Russia.'I hope it ends very quickly,' says TrumpThe first world leader to react to the Indian Armed Forces' actions was US President Donald Trump, who said: "I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past". Trump said he hoped that the escalation to end quickly."We just heard about it as we were walking through the doors of the Oval. Just heard about it. 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 think about it. I hope it ends very quickly," Trump said.US secretary of state Marco Rubio said that he was closely monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan.In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Rubio said, "I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo President Trump's comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution."'India is justified in striking terrorist', says SunakFormer UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam and voiced support for India’s response, saying "India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure.""No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists," Sunak posted on X.UAE calls for restraint & de-escalation of tensionsAbdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE, called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation, UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement on Wednesday.As per UAE MOFA, the UAE foreign minister gave a call to India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace".He gave a call for dialogue and mutual understanding to prevent military escalation, strengthen stability in South Asia, and avoid further regional tensions.'India has right to self-defence,' says IsraelReuven Azar, Israel's Ambassador to India, said that Israel supports India's right to self-defence. The Israeli envoy supported the Indian strikes and reinforced that terrorists should know there's no place to hide "from their heinous crimes against the innocent".He wrote on X, "Israel supports India's right for self defense. Terrorists should know there's no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor"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 in a coordinated operation, sources told ANI. The operation was jointly carried out by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, with the mobilisation of assets and troops. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was constantly monitoring Operation Sindoor throughout the night.