Missiles Land, Then Orange Fireball: First Visuals Of Operation Sindoor
The government has shared visuals, sourced from Pakistani social media accounts, of 'Operation Sindoor' - the tri-services overnight precision strike on nine terrorist camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were India's first military response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly civilians were killed at a tourist hotspot.
In one video a crowd of people, many on bikes, is gathered on a busy road. It is the middle of the night but, on the horizon, there is a large orange glow and smoke can be seen in the distance.
Seconds later there is a whistling sound and a massive detonation as an Indian missile, possibly either the air-launched, long-range SCALP or the Hammer, a stand-off smart bomb, hits one of its targets. The impact of the strike causes the man filming the video to stagger back.
A large and bright orange fireball follows, sending plumes of acrid smoke mushrooming out in all directions, and people can be heard praying in Arabic and shouting in panic.
READ | India Strikes 4 Terror Bases In Pak, 5 In POK As Reply To Pahalgam
Another video is from the dashboard of car as it drives past police check posts.
The driver can be heard conversing with a passenger. And just as one person utters the word 'bomb', a second explosion and deadly orange fireball can be seen in the distance.
What Weapons Did India Use In 'Op Sindoor'?
The Indian military used a variety of ammunition - from the SCALP long-range, air-launched cruise missile to the Hammer, a stand-off smart bomb meant for bunker-busting raids.
Also used were 'loitering munitions' or drone-borne missiles that can hover over a target area to locate and strike targets, either autonomously or guided by human hands, before exploding.
What Terror Camps Did India Target In 'Op Sindoor'?
The precision strikes were carried out at 1.44 am, targeting terror training camps run by the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Hizbul Mujahideen, all of which have carried out major attacks against India, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack and Pulwama in 2019.
READ | Bahawalpur To Kotli: Why These Sites Were Targeted In 'Op Sindoor'
An offshoot of Lashkar, The Resistance Front, carried out the Pahalgam attack.
India had said earlier it has proof - material shared last month with diplomats from the United States, Russia, China, and major European nations - the Pak deep state planned the Pahalgam attack.
Pak, India Casualties
A few hours after India's strikes, the Pakistan Army resorted to 'arbitrary and indiscriminate firing', and artillery shelling, across the Line of Control and the International Border.
Three civilians were killed.
READ | 3 Civilians Killed In Firing, Shelling By Pakistan Across Line Of Control
The Army said a 'proportionate' response was made, in which the Pakistan military suffered casualties.
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