PM Modi To Address The Nation Tonight At 8 PM Amid Operation Sindoor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 PM on Monday, coinciding with the ongoing 'Operation Sindoor', launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
The speech comes as senior Indian defence officials have confirmed a significant tri-service military operation targeting terror and military infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Operations, Indian Air Force (IAF), stated during a special media briefing that precision airstrikes were carried out near Karachi, striking a surface-to-air missile installation at Malir Cantonment—located about 35 km from Pakistan’s commercial capital.
“This was a deliberate and proportionate military response to the pattern of drone, missile, and cross-border aggression originating from Pakistan,” Air Marshal Bharti said.
The IAF also destroyed a radar site near Lahore using Israeli-origin HARPY loitering munitions, effectively targeting a Chinese HQ-9 air defence system. A second radar facility near Gujranwala in Punjab province was similarly neutralised to degrade Pakistan’s early warning capabilities.
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor, carried out on May 7, was a coordinated 25-minute assault that eliminated nine terror infrastructures—four within Pakistan and five in PoK. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had previously disclosed that over 100 terrorists were killed.
The Indian Navy also played a crucial role. According to Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, India deployed carrier strike groups, attack submarines, and maritime aviation assets to the waters off Karachi, compelling Pakistan’s naval and air forces into a defensive stance.
“Our naval assets maintained full operational readiness… prepared to launch calibrated strikes against land or sea targets,” he said, adding that the deployment was aimed at exerting psychological pressure and limiting Pakistan’s manoeuvrability.
Following the strikes, Pakistan launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks on Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Cities including Chandigarh, Pathankot, and Jaisalmer reported air raid alerts and temporary blackouts.
In the following 72 hours, the IAF sustained pressure through targeted strikes on Pakistani air bases—Rafiqui, Chaklala, Murid, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, and Bholari—which reportedly housed a large portion of Pakistan’s F-16 and JF-17 fleets.
Air Marshal Bharti said, “Whatever methods and means the Indian armed forces chose during Operation Sindoor had the desired effect on enemy targets. The objective of decimating terror camps was achieved, and all our pilots are back home.”
Among the key targets were notorious terror hubs including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Markaz Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur. Other locations included Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya Facility in Sialkot, and LeT’s bases in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and Muzaffarabad’s Shawai Nalla.
“Our aim was not to escalate but to indicate readiness. Our fight was with terrorists, not the Pakistani military,” said the IAF Director General of Operations. He confirmed that while Pakistan used drones and UAVs against Indian civilian and military areas, the Indian air defence posture successfully intercepted most of them.
“We had to exercise extreme caution, even at the cost of some tactical disadvantage, to ensure there was no damage to civilian aircraft,” he added, criticising Pakistan for allowing civilian airliners to operate during the conflict.
IC-814 Hijacking Mastermind Mohammad Yusuf Azhar Among 5 Most-Wanted Terrorists Killed
The May 7 strikes eliminated five most wanted terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, including Mohammad Yusuf Azhar—the mastermind behind the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar. Yusuf Azhar was present at JeM’s Bahawalpur headquarters when Indian munitions reduced it to rubble.
Hafiz Muhammad Jameel, another brother-in-law of Masood Azhar and in charge of the Markaz Subhan Allah training centre, was also killed. LeT terrorist Mudassar Khadian Khas alias Abu Jundal, head of Markaz Taiba in Muridke, was eliminated as well. Videos showed his funeral being attended by Pakistan Army officials, with wreaths laid on behalf of Army Chief and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz—evidence officials described as “open testimony” of Pakistan’s collusion with terror outfits.
Other terrorists killed included Khalid alias Abu Akasha—implicated in multiple Jammu & Kashmir attacks—and Mohammad Hassan Khan, son of JeM’s operational commander in PoJK, Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri.
According to news agency PTI, officials said, “We have the capability to target every system at these bases and more. However, it was a measured response to instil good wisdom in our adversary to refrain from further escalation.”
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