The Border Security Force (BSF) has confirmed that it carried out a “deliberate and planned” strike on a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) launchpad near the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan’s Looni area, just 3 km from the border, in response to unprovoked cross-border shelling.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) Shashank Anand emphasized that India responded “loudly and effectively” to Pakistan’s firing and was fully prepared for retaliation.
“Pakistani posts opened fire on our positions, and as a result of our preparedness, we inflicted heavy damage without suffering any casualties. Our response shook the enemy’s morale,” Anand said.
The escalation began on the night of May 8. By May 9 and 10, the BSF had launched heavy shelling on Pakistan’s border belt in the northern Jammu region. Alongside this, the force also executed a precise operation targeting terror infrastructure.
Anand revealed that the operation included a strike on an LeT launchpad in Looni. “This was a calculated move, carried out as part of our plan to dismantle any threat near the international border,” he said.
BSF DIG (Sundarbani Sector) Virender Dutta added that intelligence inputs indicated the presence of 18–20 militants in the Looni area who were preparing to infiltrate under the cover of the cross-border firing.
“These militants planned to strike Indian installations. We launched a coordinated two-phase operation to neutralize the threat. Our goal was achieved — Looni was completely destroyed,” Dutta stated.
This retaliatory strike followed Operation Sindoor, India’s comprehensive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Pakistan retaliated with shelling and drone activity along the LoC and the Jammu region, prompting India to target key Pakistani military infrastructure, including radar systems, communication hubs, and airfields at 11 airbases.
Following these escalations, a mutual understanding to cease hostilities was reached between India and Pakistan on May 10.
