Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday commended India’s armed forces for executing precise strikes on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), asserting that the operation was aimed at punishing those behind the recent civilian killings.

Addressing the launch of 50 new infrastructure projects by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) across multiple states and union territories, Singh also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unequivocally supporting the armed forces in their decisive mission, codenamed Operation Sindoor.

“This wasn’t just a demonstration of our military capability, but of our ethical commitment as well,” Singh said, referencing a quote attributed to Lord Hanuman — “Jin mohi maara, tin mohi maare” — to stress that the strikes were aimed solely at those responsible for harming innocents.

The Defence Minister emphasised that the military acted with care to avoid civilian casualties. “Our forces showed exemplary skill, vigilance, and sensitivity. The identified targets were struck with pinpoint accuracy and full adherence to the operational plan,” he stated.

Praising the forces for their precision and restraint, Singh said the strikes were designed to deliver a strong message to terror outfits while maintaining moral clarity. “This action was a deliberate, measured response aimed at damaging the morale and infrastructure of terrorists. The focus remained strictly on their facilities,” he added.

He described the strikes as India’s legitimate and thoughtful retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, our security forces have once again delivered a firm and fitting response to terrorism. I thank him for standing firmly behind our armed forces,” Singh said.

The tri-service operation, carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, lasted 25 minutes and involved coordinated assaults by the Army, Navy, and Air Force on nine locations. The military described the strikes as proportionate and non-escalatory.

Among the terror sites targeted were Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Markaz Taiba in Muridke, Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, and Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya centre in Sialkot. Other Lashkar strongholds in Barnala and Muzaffarabad were also hit.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the strikes were carried out after Pakistan failed to take any visible steps against the terror networks operating from its territory. “India acted to bring the architects of the Pahalgam attack to justice,” Misri said, underlining that the action was necessary and justified.