
As India struck Pakistan on May 7, people across Jammu and Kashmir hailed the Indian Army. Locals were seen raising slogans of 'Indian Army Zindabad' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and praising the Indian Armed Forces for launching ‘Operation Sindoor’, which hit terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A few locals were also seen bursting crackers as justice was served to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking with news agency ANI, a local from Kashmir said, "We are very happy, we were all waiting for India's reply to Pakistan. This strike has happened with proof and this time, no one is going to ask for any proof. We are standing with the Army..."
The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, carrying out a series of precision strikes targeting nine terror targets, including terror camps and launchpads, in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Ministry of Defence confirmed the strikes early Wednesday, calling them a “focused, measured and non-escalatory” response to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where terrorists brutally killed 26 civilians after identifying and segregating them.
The Defence Ministry also said that no Pakistani military facilities were hit, "reflecting India’s calibrated and non-escalatory approach." "This operation underscores India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation," the Defence Ministry statement added.
Read More | Operation Sindoor | What did India say after striking 9 terror targets in Pakistan | FULL STATEMENT
A terror attack on April 22 in Baisaran Valley of Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam district killed 26 tourists.An offshoot of the banned Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) - The Resistance Front (TRF) - claimed responsibility for the attack. However, they retracted their statement on April 26, claiming that its social media was compromised.
After the attack, India launched a series of actions against Pakistan. The Indian government put into abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled its diplomats, called back Indian officials from Islamabad, and closed the Attari border, its airspace for Pakistani flights and ships, parcels and imports from Pakistan. New Delhi has also blocked the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani cricketers and celebrities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, "I say to the whole world. India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth." World leaders have urged both countries to exercise restraint but have also sided with India in its fight against terror.
Read More | Pahalgam terror attack to Operation Sindoor: A timeline