Islamabad: India carried out a series of coordinated precision strikes early on Wednesday targeting key terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation, named Operation Sindoor, successfully destroyed nine terror-linked sites, including the notorious Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) training hub in Muridke.

The Markaz Taiba complex in Muridke, located in Pakistan’s Sheikhupura District, has long been regarded as the most significant training ground for LeT operatives. Known for its arms training, radicalisation programmes, and 'dawa’h' activities, the centre reportedly enrolled around 1,000 students annually.

It has been directly linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, with all key perpetrators, including Ajmal Kasab, having received intelligence training known as Daura-e-Ribbat at the facility. Prime conspirators David Headley and Tahawwur Rana also visited the site under the direction of LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

According to Reuters, visuals and satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies show the aftermath of the strikes, with significant structural damage to multiple buildings, including the administrative block and mosque within the Muridke complex. Four buildings were reportedly demolished during the attack.

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Sheikhupura District’s Additional Deputy Commissioner, Usman Jaleesm, confirmed the extent of the damage, stating that four precision-guided missiles struck the site in under ten minutes. "The first two missiles were fired around midnight, followed by two more after a short interval. The targets included the admin block, a mosque, and two residential quarters," he said.

Local residents described a night of chaos and fear. One individual recounted, "It was around 12:45am when we heard the drones. The first strike hit the administrative building. The roof of the mosque was destroyed. An officer sitting on the roof was killed." Another resident said, "People fled into the fields and open spaces. There was panic all night."

In Bahawalpur, another city targeted during the operation, satellite images also confirmed damage to terror-linked infrastructure, including the Jamia Mosque, which was reportedly being used for indoctrination and operational coordination.

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At a press briefing in Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the rationale and execution of Operation Sindoor. The operation was described as a strategic and proportionate response to the Pahalgam attack, designed with pinpoint accuracy to avoid civilian casualties.

“Pakistan has maintained a deeply entrenched terror infrastructure for over three decades, with 21 key sites used for recruitment, indoctrination, and as launch pads,” said Wing Commander Singh. “This operation was based on solid intelligence and targeted only the operational centres of groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).”

The Indian Armed Forces coordinated across all branches—Army, Navy, and Air Force—for the operation, with strikes carried out between 1:05am and 1:30am IST. All nine intended targets were confirmed destroyed.

“Operation Sindoor was not only a demonstration of military precision but also a message that India will respond decisively to acts of terror,” Singh added.