New Delhi, May 12 – Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on Pakistani military installations and terror sites last week in retaliation for drone and missile attacks, government sources said on Sunday, marking the most serious military escalation in the region since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
According to Indian officials, the strikes—codenamed Operation Sindoor—targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7. Among the high-value targets hit were facilities in Muridke, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad, reportedly associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The military action came after an April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed the military to impose “a higher cost” on Pakistan, sources said. “If bullets come from the other side, they will be met with shells,” Modi was quoted as telling military leaders.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly called Modi on May 9, warning of a high risk of escalation. Modi is understood to have responded that India would deliver a “harder, deeper, and bigger” response to any Pakistani misadventure.
Hours later, Pakistan escalated its drone attacks, targeting 26 Indian locations in its most extensive aerial assault in recent years. These were largely thwarted by Indian air defenses. In retaliation, Indian fighter jets launched precision airstrikes on May 10 at eight Pakistani air bases, damaging runways, radar installations, and aviation facilities in locations including Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Pasrur.
“It was a hellfire,” one senior official said, noting significant damage at Chaklala’s Nur Khan air base.
Following the escalation, Pakistan reportedly reached out to the U.S., with top Pakistani military officials contacting U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. Subsequently, Indian and Pakistani Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) held talks on May 10 and agreed to halt further military action.
India conveyed to Washington and other international interlocutors that it remained open to dialogue but would respond forcefully to any aggression. “If they fire at us, we fire at them. If they stop, we will stop,” was the consistent message delivered by Indian leadership.
Officials in New Delhi downplayed Washington’s role in brokering the ceasefire, stating that Pakistan approached the U.S. only after suffering significant damage. They also expressed discomfort with suggestions that the truce was U.S.-brokered.
Indian sources emphasized that the strikes were part of a broader strategic posture based on political, military, and psychological vectors. Diplomatic pressure included India putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, arguing that Pakistan’s actions had undermined the goodwill on which the agreement was based.
While both sides have agreed to stop military action, Indian officials insist this is not a formal ceasefire. Operation Sindoor, they said, remains active, signaling continued readiness for any escalation.
