In a significant counter-terrorism operation, Indian forces have reportedly eliminated several members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's family in a strike targeting the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The operation, dubbed "Operation Sindoor," is said to be a response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
Reports indicate that ten of Masood Azhar's family members, including his sister and brother-in-law, were killed in the strike. Some reports claim that 14 people, including family members and close associates of Azhar, were killed. The Indian Air Force targeted Azhar's Bahawalpur home and headquarters, which included a madrassa. According to reports, the targeted building, the Subhana Allah Jama Masjid, was completely destroyed.
Masood Azhar has reportedly confirmed the deaths, stating that ten of his family members and four close aides were killed in the strike. According to a BBC Urdu report, the deceased included Azhar's elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children from his family. He is said to have criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and warned of retaliation.
Indian officials have described Operation Sindoor as a "measured and non-escalatory" operation, focused on terror infrastructure while avoiding Pakistani military sites. In addition to the Bahawalpur strike, Indian forces targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including those belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. These camps were located in areas such as Muridke, Gulpur, Sawai, and Kotli.
The strikes have been described as a message that there are no safe havens for terrorists. Indian security sources claim that over 80 terrorists were killed in the strikes. Video evidence presented by the Indian Army reportedly showed the destruction at several targeted sites, including those linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. One key target was the Masjid wa Markaz Taiba in Muridke, known as the ideological base of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The operation has heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
