24 hours since Operation Sindoor: A blow-by-blow breakdown of what happened in 24 points
Written By Prapti Upadhayay
Published: May 07, 2025, 23:28 IST | Updated: May 07, 2025, 23:28 IST
Story highlights
India news: It has been 24 hours since the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
It has been 24 hours since the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India’s Ministry of Defence described the operation as a “focused, measured and non-escalatory” response to the brutal Pahalgam massacre, in which terrorists killed 26 civilians after separating them by religion.
Just before the strikes were announced, at 1:28 AM, the Indian Army dropped a one-minute video on social media. Captioned “Ready to strike, trained to win,” it featured tanks firing, fighter jets launching missiles and troops manoeuvring across varied terrain, an unmistakable signal of intent.
At 1:44 AM, the Press Information Bureau issued a statement announcing Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan.
"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. Altogether, nine (9) sites have been targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution. These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable," the statement read.
Related: Operation Sindoor | What did India say after striking 9 terror targets in Pakistan | FULL STATEMENT
By 1:51 AM, the Indian Army posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Justice is served. Jai Hind!” Reports of explosions came in from Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur and other sites.
At 2:19 AM, the Defence Ministry tweeted, “Operation Sindoor represents a precise, non-escalatory response to the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocents. Nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK were struck, with no Pakistani military facilities targeted, underscoring India’s measured approach.”
Reactions started pouring in (Here are the major ones):
In retaliation, Pakistan opened heavy cross-border shelling along both the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian forces responded in kind; officials reported three civilian deaths when mortar fire struck Bhimber Gali in Poonch.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reacted to the strikes as an “act of war” and vowed Pakistan’s “right to respond forcefully.” He added that the nation’s morale was high and that the armed forces knew “how to deal with the enemy.”
Sharif summoned Pakistan’s National Security Committee for emergency talks, underlining the gravity with which Islamabad viewed India’s operation.
Soon after the strikes, NSA Ajit Doval phoned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to outline India’s measured approach. A State Department spokesperson said they were monitoring the situation closely.
In response, Pakistan closed its airspace for 48 hours. Major carriers, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, Swiss and Emirates, rerouted flights to avoid Pakistani airspace.
Domestically, Srinagar Airport was closed to civilian traffic. Over 200 flights across 18 airports in northern and western India were cancelled or diverted, with IndiGo alone cutting more than 165 services.
US President Donald Trump called the strikes “a shame,” while UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged “maximum restraint” from both sides, warning that the world “cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”
Through the night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained constant contact with defence chiefs. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke with all three service heads to review the operation’s success and India’s readiness to respond further if provoked.
India used cutting-edge, long-range munitions in the strike. Rafale fighter jets launched SCALP cruise missiles, capable of striking high-value targets deep inside enemy territory, while precision-guided Hammer air-to-ground bombs hit other objectives.
Target 1 – Abbas Terrorist Camp at Kotli
Distance – 13 Km from Line of Control (POJK)
Nerve Centre for training suicide bombers of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
Key training infrastructure for over 50 terrorists.
DESTROYED AT 1.04 AM on 07 May 2025.
Target 2 – Gulpur Terrorist Camp at Kotli
Distance – 30 Km from Line of Control (POJK)
Control Center and Base of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
Used for revival of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
DESTROYED AT 1.08 AM on 07 May 2025.
Target 3 – Mehmoona Joya Terrorist Camp at Sialkot
Distance – 12 Km from International boundary
Key training centre of Hizbul Mujahideen
Used as control centre for revival of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
DESTROYED AT 1.11 AM on 07 May
“By calling it Operation Sindoor, they have shown respect for bereaved women,” said Sangita Ganbote, whose husband Kaustubh was killed in Pahalgam. “This action is a befitting reply—terrorists must be eliminated.”
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge praised the military’s “resolute resolve and courage,” while Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi also lauded the strikes. Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called it a fitting and necessary action.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri explained, “This operation was essential to bring to heel those who threatened our citizens and our fledgling tourism industry in J&K… Despite repeated calls, Pakistan had shown no intent to act against terror infrastructure.”
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, joined by Misri, held a detailed briefing on the precision midnight strikes that dismantled nine terror camps.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi deferred his visits to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands, originally scheduled for mid-May, to oversee developments at home.
A letter claimed that the Bahawalpur strike killed 14 members of Masood Azhar’s family, including his sister, prompting a vow of revenge from the JeM leader.
Modi convened an emergency Union Cabinet session, praising the flawless execution. An all-party leaders’ meeting was summoned for 8 May to ensure unanimous support for India’s course.
Amit Shah chaired a video conference with chief ministers, DGPs and secretaries from all border states to review security and coordinate further action.
In Delhi, India’s UN Security Council envoys confirmed that only terror camps—not civilian or military installations—had been targeted, stressing the operation’s precision and restraint.