Operation Sindoor explained: The nine terror launchpads destroyed by India across the border

In a high-precision counter-terrorism operation conducted in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, Indian security forces struck nine high-value terror infrastructure targets across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation, believed to be a retaliatory strike in response to escalating cross-border terror incidents, focused on eliminating key operational hubs belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). As of now, official confirmation from the Ministry of Defence has not been issued, but intelligence and defence officials, speaking off record, have corroborated the execution and targeting logic behind the operation.

Why Did India Strike Across the Border?

The operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, was reportedly launched in response to a string of recent terror activities, most notably the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, where terrorists ambushed a convoy of security personnel, killing eight and injuring over a dozen. Investigative agencies traced the perpetrators’ origins to terror camps operating out of PoJK and Punjab in Pakistan.

According to senior intelligence officials, the Indian establishment had obtained “actionable and time-sensitive” intelligence suggesting a renewed buildup at multiple camps that have been dormant or functioning covertly over recent months. Many of these locations were previously flagged in dossiers shared with international partners including the United Nations Security Council, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the U.S. State Department.

The Indian response, according to defence analysts, reflects a continuation of the zero-tolerance doctrine against cross-border terrorism, first put into visible policy action during the 2016 surgical strikes and reaffirmed by the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

What Was the Scale and Scope of the Operation?

Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror launchpads—five located in Punjab province of Pakistan and four inside PoJK. These sites included indoctrination centres, madrassas doubling as arms training facilities, transit and logistical bases for infiltration, as well as drone and tunnel launch sites.

Sources with knowledge of the planning phase indicated that each target was subjected to multiple layers of verification including satellite surveillance, real-time human intelligence (HUMINT) inputs, and geo-tagged digital intercepts. Once reconfirmed, precision stand-off weapons—suspected to be loitering munitions and satellite-guided glide bombs—were deployed to inflict maximum structural and operational disruption without civilian spillover.

Indian defence forces reportedly avoided densely populated areas, with the aim of striking terror-specific infrastructure that included bunkered weapon stockpiles, firing ranges, militant housing blocks, and command centres.

What Happened at Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur?

Located along National Highway-5 in Bahawalpur, Markaz Subhan Allah is Jaish-e-Mohammad’s most prominent ideological and operational centre. Spread across 15 acres, it has been central to JeM’s recruitment and training operations since the early 2000s. Intelligence inputs link this site to the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack, which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.

JeM’s top brass—Maulana Masood Azhar, Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, and other senior operatives including Yusuf Azhar—are reported to have resided or conducted operations from this location. While Azhar is believed to be under protective custody in Rawalpindi or Islamabad, the site reportedly continues to function as JeM’s primary coordination hub under Mufti Rauf’s de facto command.

What Is Markaz Taiba’s Role in LeT’s Global Network?

Located in Muridke, near Lahore, Markaz Taiba functions as the ‘alma mater’ of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Encompassing 82 acres, the compound includes educational institutions, weapons training zones, housing units for operatives, and agriculture-based financing arms like fish farms.

The U.S. Treasury Department has previously designated this facility as a key node in LeT’s transnational terror ecosystem. Several perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, including Ajmal Kasab, were reportedly trained here. Counter-terror files suggest that Osama bin Laden personally financed the construction of parts of the compound, including a mosque and guesthouse.

Why Is Tehra Kalan in Narowal a Strategic Threat?

Camouflaged within a primary health centre in Shakargarh, Narowal District, the Tehra Kalan facility is reportedly one of the main launching pads for cross-border tunnel infiltration and drone-based arms drops into the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence surveillance has confirmed that this site, only 6 kilometres from the International Border, is used to house tunneling equipment and drone command terminals.

Security agencies believe that many cross-border tunnels detected in recent years, especially in the Arnia and Kathua sectors, originate from networks controlled by operatives at this launchpad.

What Is the Mehmoona Joya Facility’s Function?

Situated near Head Marala, Sialkot, the Mehmoona Joya facility is controlled by Hizbul Mujahideen and is considered a logistics and weapons training base. Its leader, Irfan Tanda, is a known figure in India’s counter-terror records due to his involvement in the 1995 Republic Day blasts at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu.

Sources say the site is used to smuggle arms and conduct pre-infiltration drills for HM operatives attempting to enter India through the Jammu region. The facility is reportedly built adjacent to a government hospital, helping to conceal movement from drone surveillance.

How Does Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala Facilitate LeT Attacks?

This Barnala-based LeT facility in PoJK acts as a staging centre for infiltration into the Poonch-Rajouri-Reasi belt. Key operatives such as Qasim Gujjar, Khubaib, and Saifullah Sajid Jutt (killed in a March 2025 encounter in Rajouri) have operated from here.

The markaz reportedly houses 40–50 active terrorists at any given time and has been linked to civilian-targeted attacks, including the Dhangri massacre in January 2023 and the pilgrim bus ambush in June 2024.

Who Leads Markaz Abbas in Kotli?

Located 2 kilometres from the Kotli military camp, Markaz Abbas serves as a major logistics depot for JeM in PoJK. Headed by Qari Zarrar, a founding member of JeM and former HuM militant, the site houses 100–125 operatives. Indian investigators have tied Zarrar to the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack.

The markaz functions as an armoury and fund distribution centre, with Zarrar himself involved in smuggling arms and raising funds through Afghan sources. Intelligence suggests that weapons previously stored in Sialkot’s Daska Markaz were shifted here following increased international scrutiny.

What Happens at Maskar Raheel Shahid?

This Hizbul Mujahideen camp in Kotli is known for its special operations training, including sniper tactics and BAT (Border Action Team) missions. Hidden in a forested area near Mahuli Puli, the facility is designed for mountain warfare and survival training.

The camp can accommodate up to 200 terrorists and includes separate units for weapons, barracks, and an office area. Training is now overseen by Abu Maaz and Abdul Rehman, after earlier supervision by Syed Salahuddin.

What Is Shawai Nallah Camp’s Tactical Relevance?

Located near Chelabandi Bridge in Muzaffarabad, the Shawai Nallah Camp—also known as Huzaifa Bin Yemen or Bait-ul-Mujahideen—serves as the primary registration, indoctrination, and training hub for LeT in PoJK.

The site has hosted LeT chief Hafiz Saeed in the past and offers GPS mapping, arms training, and refresher tactical modules for both new recruits and seasoned fighters. Satellite imagery has reportedly captured mock drills conducted by operatives at this location under the supervision of Pakistani Army trainers.

What Is Syedna Bilal Markaz’s Operational Role?

Situated directly opposite Red Fort in Muzaffarabad, Syedna Bilal Markaz doubles as a transit facility and command post for JeM. Managed by Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, a veteran of the Afghan war and former HuM operative, the facility also hosts offices for JeM’s charity front, Al-Rehmat Trust.

Indian intelligence retrieved from neutralised operatives’ mobile phones suggests that Pakistan’s Special Services Group (SSG) occasionally conducts training at this centre. Infiltration routes from this point have been used as recently as June 2024, when Rehan Ali (alias Ali Aslam) was killed in Hiranagar sector.

What Are the Broader Implications of Operation Sindoor?

India’s actions under Operation Sindoor reaffirm a strategic doctrine of preemptive deterrence and underscore the intent to disrupt terrorist infrastructure at source—not merely at the border. The strikes, if confirmed officially, could reframe regional counter-terror dialogue and intensify pressure on Islamabad to dismantle its cross-border proxy networks.

International responses may be influenced by evidence presented through classified diplomatic briefings. As of now, there are no reports of civilian casualties. However, the Indian Army remains on heightened alert across LoC sectors in anticipation of potential retaliatory escalation.