Operation Sindoor LIVE: Followed principle of Lord Hanuman, says Rajnath
Armed forces avenge Pahalgam attack with missile strikes on 9 terror targets in Pak, POK; Modi chairs Cabinet meeting; Centre plans all-party meet on May 8
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (May 7) chaired a meeting of the Union Cabinet, hours after Operation Sindoor was launched to destroy terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He will also chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS), which will take stock of the evolving situation, PTI said.
Retaliating against the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.
Like Lord Hanuman: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said later in the day, ‘Last night, our Indian armed forces displayed their valour and bravery, and scripted a new history. Indian armed forces took action with precision, alertness and sensitiveness. The targets we decided were accurately demolished at the right time with precision. Our armed forces also showed sensitivity in ensuring that civilian population is not affected at all. In a way, we can say that Indian jawans showed precision, alertness and humanity. On behalf of the entire country, I congratulate the jawans and officers. I also congratulate PM Modi for supporting the armed forces.”
He added, “We followed the principle followed by Lord Hanuman when he went into Ashok Vatika. Jinh mohi maara, tinh mohi maare. We targeted only those who killed our innocent citizens.”
In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Modi cancelled his significant upcoming tour to Europe. The three-nation visit, which included scheduled stops in Croatia, Norway, and the Netherlands, was being planned for mid-May.
The Union government is holding an all-party meet at 11 am on Thursday, May 8.
What next after India's strikes? Watch The Federal Editor's take
Midnight rampage
The Defence Ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am, "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."
It said the actions by the Indian armed forces have been "focused, measured and non-escalatory" in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.
"India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," it said.
Pak army's shelling
Pakistan army resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling targeting forward villages along the LoC after the strikes, leaving at least 12 people dead and many injured. The Indian Army also responded to the shelling, reportedly resulting in many casualties on the enemy side.
Also Watch: Operation Sindoor Explained
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Live Updates
- 7 May 2025 5:56 AM IST
Hope this ends quickly: US Secretary of State
Hours after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ targeting Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he is monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely and hopes this “ends quickly”.
In a post on X, Rubio said, “I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo @POTUS's comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution.” National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with Rubio “shortly after the strikes” and briefed him on the actions taken, the Indian Embassy in Washington DC said.
“India’s actions have been focused and precise. They were measured, responsible and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets have been hit. Only known terror camps were targeted,” a press release from the Embassy of India, Washington DC said.
It said that “shortly after the strikes,” NSA Doval spoke with Rubio and “briefed him on the actions taken.” The release said that terrorists killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir on April 22 in a brutal and heinous attack.
“India has credible leads, technical inputs, testimony of the survivors and other evidence pointing towards the clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in this attack,” it said.
“It was expected that Pakistan would take action against terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them. Instead, during the fortnight that has gone by, Pakistan has indulged in denial and made allegations of false flag operations against India,” it added.
- 7 May 2025 5:08 AM IST
Heavy shelling by Pak troops along LoC in J-K, mother-daughter duo injured
Pakistani army carried out heavy mortar shelling on forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir early Wednesday as Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
A woman and her daughter were injured, one of them critically, when their house was hit by Pakistani shelling in Poonch district, officials said.
They said the intense shelling from across the border was reported from Krishna Ghati, Shahpur and Mankote in Poonch, Laam, Manjakote and Gambeer Brahmana in Rajouri district in Jammu region and Karnah area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, shortly after the Indian strikes, The two civilian casualties were reported from Mankote, and efforts are on to evacuate the injured to hospital, they said.
Indian security forces guarding the border also retaliated and the cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when the last reports were received, officials said, adding the Pakistani shelling forced the people to take refuge in underground bunkers.
This was the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
- 7 May 2025 5:07 AM IST
India reaches out to many countries following Operation Sindoor
India reached out to several leading countries, including the US, Russia, the UK and Saudi Arabia, early Wednesday and briefed them about the military strike it carried out on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, sources said.
The strikes were carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.
"Senior Indian officials have spoken to their counterparts in a number of countries to brief them on the steps taken by India," said a source.
"Among these are the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Russia," it said.
India's actions came two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack that triggered widespread outrage in India and abroad.
"These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable," it said.
- 7 May 2025 4:40 AM IST
Colleges, universities shut down in Pak's Punjab Province
Colleges, universities in Pakistan's Punjab to remain closed; examinations, except those conducted by international bodies, have also been cancelled.
- 7 May 2025 4:32 AM IST
'PM Modi constantly monitoring Operation Sindoor'
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly monitoring Operation Sindoor throughout the night. The strike on all nine targets is successful," says ANI, quoting sources.
