In a bold and targeted counter-terrorism move, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, delivering a crippling blow to Pakistan-based terrorist outfits. The operation, launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, which killed 26 civilians, primarily tourists, marks one of India’s most significant military offensives in recent years.
Intelligence sources have suggested that Rauf Azhar, a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and one of the masterminds behind the 1999 IC814 hijacking, is believed to have been killed in the strike. His elimination, though not officially confirmed, is being hailed as a long-overdue step toward justice for the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
Operation Sindoor, launched at 1:05 AM on May 7, targeted nine terror camps in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The targets included facilities run by Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Notably, the Subhan Allah complex in Bahawalpur was heavily hit, resulting in the reported deaths of ten family members of JeM chief Masood Azhar, as per his own admission reported by BBC Urdu.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that all strikes were aimed solely at terror infrastructure, not civilian zones. Despite this assurance, tensions have spiked along the Line of Control (LoC), with Pakistan initiating cross-border shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Indian forces retaliated promptly, with no casualties reported.
Rauf Azhar, long designated a terrorist by the US Department of the Treasury, was deeply involved in planning the IC814 hijacking that forced India to release JeM founder Masood Azhar in 1999. His name has also been linked to the gruesome beheading of journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi in 2002. While Khalid Sheikh Mohammed of Al-Qaeda was the primary executioner, Azhar was allegedly instrumental in the orchestration of the abduction, along with JeM operative Amjad Farooqi.
Pearl’s killing, a symbol of terrorism’s global reach, had long remained an unresolved chapter in international justice. The Sindh High Court and later the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned the conviction of Omar Saeed Sheikh, the main accused, in 2020 and 2021, sparking condemnation from Pearl’s family and the US government.
If confirmed, Rauf Azhar’s death brings a significant measure of justice in the case. Judea Pearl, father of the slain journalist, has persistently called for accountability, and the US has reaffirmed its support for the cause as recently as 2025.
Beyond its military precision, Operation Sindoor signals India’s shift toward preemptive and retaliatory strikes as part of a robust counter-terrorism doctrine. JeM has claimed responsibility for major attacks on Indian soil, including the 2001 Parliament attack, 2016 Pathankot attack, and 2019 Pulwama bombing.
The operation has drawn a spectrum of reactions—families of Pahalgam victims lauded the move, while concerns over escalation loom large. Meanwhile, explosions in Lahore and temporary disruptions in airspace highlight the broader impact of the strike.
Operation Sindoor may reshape regional security narratives, with both India and the international community signaling a firm stance against terror safe havens. While Pakistan has accused India of targeting civilian zones—a claim India denies—the message from New Delhi is clear: acts of terror will be met with decisive action.
As India monitors the LoC and diplomatic tensions escalate, the success of Operation Sindoor could mark the beginning of a new strategic phase in South Asia’s anti-terror campaign.
