Iran’s foreign minister may have arrived in India with hopes of mediating between Delhi and Islamabad, but at a meeting with his counterpart Dr S Jaishankar, Abbas Aragchi was left in no doubt that mission had no resonance here.
“It is not our intention to escalate the situation,” Jaishankar told him during formal talks on Thursday, “however if there are military attacks on us there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very very firm response.”
That response, Operation Sindoor II, has been underway for some time after overnight attacks by Pakistan on no less than eight Indian military locations including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Chandigarh and Bathinda.
The Indian Defence Ministry said “The attacks were successfully foiled. Debris recovered across several Indian states is clear evidence of Pakistani escalation.”
Fortunately, India’s Integrated Counter UAS Grid and other air defence systems were able to intercept and destroy the Pakistani missiles and drones. After that it was India’s turn to trigger the second phase of Operation Sindoor II.
The Defence Ministry said an air defence system in Lahore was destroyed while other strategic assets were hit across Karachi, Rawalpindi and terror hubs in Pak Occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied HQ-9 air defence system was reportedly heavily damaged and failed to intercept Indian missiles and drones.
“Our strikes are focused, calibrated and defensive in nature,” the Indian Army said on Wednesday, “India does not seek escalation but reserves the right to defend its citizens.”
Among the weapons and platforms used by India were the Brahmos cruise missile, SCALP missiles launched from the Rafale fighters and Israeli Harop loitering munitions, marking their first confirmed use in combat.
Among the high value targets hit was the Gulshan-e-Hadeed, a prestigious address in Karachi where underworld figures Dawood Ibrahim and Anees Ibrahim own properties. Also terror training camps in Kotli, Muzaffarabad and Bahawalpur that were flattened with precision guided munitions.
Pakistan has responded with heavy artillery and mortar shelling targeting Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajauri killing 15 civilians and injuring 45. In return fire, India has killed 10 Pakistani soldiers while air defences downed one JF-17 fighter over Pampore.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at an all party briefing said 100 suspected Pakistani terrorists have been neutralised so far. He said Prime Minister Modi was in back to back meetings with NSA Ajit Doval and BSF DG Daljit Chaudhary.
The BSF is on full alert along the border with Pakistan and evacuation protocols have been activated along sensitive border zones.
