In a significant counterterrorism move, Indian armed forces launched coordinated precision strikes early Wednesday on multiple terror bases located across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), eliminating more than 80 militants, according to top intelligence officials.

The offensive, code-named Operation Sindoor, was a direct retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The Indian military targeted nine high-value sites linked to banned outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Key targets included JeM’s hub in Bahawalpur and LeT’s headquarters in Muridke, where 25–30 terrorists are believed to have been killed at each site. Muridke is known as the ideological epicentre of LeT, housing the controversial Masjid wa Markaz Taiba, often referred to as Pakistan’s “terror breeding ground.”

Preliminary intelligence assessments suggest that between 80 to 90 terrorists may have been neutralised in total. Indian forces reportedly struck launch pads, training grounds, and indoctrination centres associated with UN-designated terrorist groups.

A brief statement from the Indian Army followed the strikes, accompanied by a video posted on social media with the message: “Justice is served.”

Pakistan, however, condemned the operation, claiming eight civilian deaths — including a child — and described the action as an “act of war.”

Other significant targets included JeM facilities in Sarjal, Tehra Kalan, and Kotli, as well as LeT-linked camps in Barnala and Muzaffarabad. Two Hizbul Mujahideen bases, located in Kotli and Sialkot, were also struck.

Out of the nine terror hubs hit, four were situated within Pakistani territory, while five were in POK. Indian officials stressed that no Pakistani military infrastructure was targeted. However, they alleged that Pakistan’s Army, intelligence agency ISI, and elite SSG units have long supported these terrorist outposts.

In the wake of the strikes, Pakistani troops initiated intense shelling along the Line of Control and the International Border. Three Indian civilians were reportedly killed in the barrage. Indian forces responded with counter-fire, and exchanges were continuing at the time of reporting.