24 hours since Operation Sindoor: A blow-by-blow breakdown of what happened in 24 points
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.
24 hours since Operation Sindoor: A 24-point recap
1. “Ready to strike, trained to win”
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.
2. Operation Sindoor officially announced
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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
3. “Justice is served,” says Indian Army
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.
4. Ministry of Defence outlines restraint and precision
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.”
Related: OPERATION SINDOOR: Here's the list of sites in Pakistan, PoK attacked by India
5. Leaders and ministers react
Reactions started pouring in (Here are the major ones):
- Rajnath Singh (Defence Minister): “Long live Mother India!”
- Piyush Goyal (Commerce Minister): “Bharat Mata ki Jai”
- Amit Shah (Home Minister): “Proud of our armed forces. Operation Sindoor is Bharat’s fitting response to the Pahalgam atrocity. We remain determined to root out terrorism.”
6. Ceasefire violated by Pakistan
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.
Related: Pakistan violates ceasefire agreement yet again, Indian Army reacts in 'calibrated manner'
7. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reacts
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.”
8. National security meeting convened in Pakistan
Sharif summoned Pakistan’s National Security Committee for emergency talks, underlining the gravity with which Islamabad viewed India’s operation.
9. India briefs other nations
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.
10. Pakistan shuts its skies
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.
11. Srinagar airport goes offline
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.
12. International reactions
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.”
13. PM and chiefs were vigilant
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.
Related: Operation Sindoor: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaks to chiefs of Indian forces
14. Advanced weapons deployed by India
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.
15. Details of terror sites released
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
16. Women honoured by the name: Operation Sindoor
“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.”
Related: Why did India name its Pakistan strikes ‘Operation Sindoor’? Here'swhatitmeans
17. Opposition reacts with political unity in response
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.
18. Foreign Ministry briefing
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.”
19. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi brief the nation
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.
20. PM’s travel plans postponed
Prime Minister Narendra Modi deferred his visits to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands, originally scheduled for mid-May, to oversee developments at home.
21. Masood Azhar’s family struck
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.
22. Cabinet review and all-party meeting
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.
23. Home Minister convenes border states
Amit Shah chaired a video conference with chief ministers, DGPs and secretaries from all border states to review security and coordinate further action.
24. India briefs to UNSC
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.
