India Strikes At Midnight In Operation Sindoor To Protect Civilians, Says CDS Chauhan

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said India conducted the Operation Sindoor strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at night to minimise civilian casualties, reported The Times Of India.

Speaking at an event in Ranchi, he said the strikes, conducted on 7 May, targeted terrorists between 1:00 and 1:30 a.m.

"On the 7 May, the terrorist targets we had chosen, we struck them between 1 AM and 1:30 AM... Why did we strike at 1:30 at night? That is the darkest time, it would be the most difficult to get satellite images, photographs, and collect evidence. Yet, we struck at 1 or 1:30 at night," he said.

Gen Chauhan cited two main reasons for the timing: the armed forces were confident in their ability to capture images and assess damage even at night, and, more importantly, they wanted to minimise the risk to civilians.

He said the decision was based on two factors. First, the forces were confident that, even at night, they could obtain the necessary imagery. The second, and more important reason, was their intention to avoid civilian casualties.

He noted that the ideal time would have been early morning, but it coincides with the first azaan and increased civilian activity in areas like Bahawalpur and Muridke.

"The best time would have been 5.30-6.00 am, but at that time, the first azaan or the first prayer takes place, and in Bahawalpur and Muridke, there might have been a lot of civilian movement at that time, so many civilians could have been killed... We wanted to avoid that, which is why we chose the time between 1.00 and 1.30," he said.

The CDS’s remarks offer a rare insight into the strategic and ethical considerations behind high-risk counter-terror operations, where precision and humanitarian concerns must be carefully balanced.

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