New Delhi [India], May 7 (HBTV): Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, stated on Wednesday that Israel supports India’s right to self-defence. His remarks followed India’s execution of Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

The Israeli envoy expressed his strong backing of India’s action and emphasised that terrorists must realise there is no safe haven for those who commit crimes against innocent people. He wrote on X: ‘Israel supports India's right for self defense. Terrorists should know there's no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor’

On the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was closely monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan following India’s missile strikes on multiple sites in Pakistani territory. His statement came after US President Donald Trump also addressed the situation. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, President Trump said: ‘We just heard about it as we were walking through the doors of the Oval. Just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades. And centuries, actually, if you think about it. I hope it ends very quickly.’

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also issued an appeal for calm. In a statement released by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), he called on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further confrontation.

India’s Ministry of Defence reiterated that the military action was a direct response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. The Ministry’s statement read: ‘Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.’

Sources told ANI that Indian Armed Forces successfully struck nine terror targets—four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in PoJK—using precision-guided munitions in a well-coordinated operation. The mission was jointly conducted by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, with extensive mobilisation of troops and assets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to have been continuously monitoring the operation throughout the night.

The sources further stated that all nine designated targets were successfully neutralised. The strikes were aimed at eliminating top leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both of which are responsible for planning and carrying out terrorist operations in India.  

(ANI)