As India hosted the United States Vice President JD Vance from April 21, 2025, to April 24, 2025, a deadly terror attack was carried out in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, where 26 innocent civilians were gunned down, most of them in front of their touring families.
25 of the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims were Indian citizens, and they were specifically targetted for being males. While the Indian government blamed a terrorist fringe group with connection to Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Pakistan tried to brush off the incident claiming that India had no 'concrete proof' to back its claims.
In retaliation to this Pahalgam Terrorist Attack, India in the wee hours of May 7, 2025 launched Operation Sindoor, attacking nine terror camps used by groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad in Pakistan, and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
The Indian Army in a joint venture with the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Navy, conducted overnight aerial strikes and struck locations like Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Mehmoona Joya and Markaz Taiba in Muridke, and Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur in the Pakistan region. In POK, the targets included Sawai Nala and Syedna Bilal in Muzaffarabad, Gulpur and Abbas camps in Kotli, and Barnala camp in Bhimber.
A total of 24 missiles were unleashed between 1:05 AM to 1:30 AM on May 7, 2025 by India, taking over 70 lives, and injuring over 60. "Our actions were measured and non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible. They focused on dismantling terrorists' infrastructure", said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a press briefing in New Delhi, sitting alongside Colonel Sophia Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.
Pakistan responded to India's 25-minute missile strike by violating ceasefire, and resorting to 'arbitrary and indiscriminate firing' and artillery shelling across the LoC. 10 civilians, including a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector were killed in the Pakistani strike, said the Indian Army.
Joining the nation in extending its solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces, were Tamil film celebrities Rajinikanth (actor), and Anirudh Ravichander (music composer). The uncle-nephew duo took to their respective X handles to tweet:
The fighter's fight begins...
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) May 7, 2025
No stopping until the mission is accomplished!
The entire NATION is with you. @PMOIndia @HMOIndia#OperationSindoor
JAI HIND 🇮🇳
#OperationSindoor
— Anirudh Ravichander (@anirudhofficial) May 7, 2025
Salute to the Indian Army 🫡
Jai Hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/dIcDWUvbT2