The Indian armed forces are fully prepared to respond to “Pakistani misadventures”, if any, that will escalate the hostilities between the two countries, the military said on Wednesday.

This came hours after the Indian military carried out strikes on what it said were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The Indian armed forces targeted nine sites as part of Operation Sindoor, the defence ministry had said.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army said at a press conference that the operation was conducted between 1.05 am and 1.30 am.

The strikes on the terror camps were undertaken through precision capability, said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force.

“Niche technology weapons with careful selection of warheads were ensured so that there was no collateral damage,” said Singh. “The point of impact in each of the targets was a specific building or a group of buildings. All the targets were neutralised with clinical efficiency.”

During the press conference, the military showed videos of the strikes at select targets.

The targeted sites include the Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, which the Indian military said was associated with terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Markaz Taiba in Muridke, which was linked to terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Sarjal in Tehra Kalan.

The military said that Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, a site linked to the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, and Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala were also struck.

Other camps that were targeted are Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli, the Shawai Nalla camp and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad.

The Indian armed forces said that the camp in Muridke had been used to train Ajmal Kasab, a terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack in which more than 160 persons were killed.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that The Resistance Front, an outfit affiliated to Lashkar-E-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.

The terror attack at the Baisaran area near Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam town on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 17 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.

Misri said that the terror attack was driven by the objective to disrupt normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir and hurt booming tourism. The attack was also aimed at provoking communal discord in India, he added.

The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had not taken clear steps to act against terrorists in its territory and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India had exercised its right to retaliate responsibly to the Pahalgam attack, Misri said, adding that there were indications of further impending attacks against India.

Pakistan acknowledged that India had carried out the strikes.

Ishaq Dar, the country’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said on social media that the Indian Air Force “while remaining in Indian air space” had targeted sites across the international border in Muridke and Bahawalpur, and across the Line of Control in Kotli and Muzzafarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistani forces had “every right to respond forcefully” and that a “forceful response is being given”.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed in a press conference that eight civilians were killed and at least 35 were injured in India’s strikes, reported The Print.

According to Chaudhry, the strikes primarily hit civilian infrastructure, including mosques and residential quarters.

Three civilians were killed in firing and shelling by the Pakistan Army across the Line of Control and the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army stated. “Indian Army are responding in proportionate manner,” it added.

Pakistan also claimed that it had shot down three of India’s military planes, reported Reuters. India has not confirmed the claim, nor has it been verified independently.

The Indian foreign secretary did not take questions from reporters saying that it was an evolving situation. More details will be provided later, he said.

In a statement shortly after the strikes, India’s defence ministry had said that its military action was “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”.

“No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted,” the ministry had said. “India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and methods in Pakistan.”