New Delhi, Sep 19: In retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, Indian Army destroyed multiple terror launchpads across the border and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The first strikes under Operation Sindoor took place between 1-1.30 am on May 7 on nine identified terrorist targets.

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, during an interaction with school children at Raj Bhavan in Jharkhand's Ranchi, revealed that India deliberately chose to carry out the May 7 Operation Sindoor at 1 am as the timing reflected both confidence in the forces’ ability to capture imagery in the dark and the intent to prevent civilian casualties.

Chauhan said, "Earlier, we did the Balakot operation, but we didn't have satellite images or photos. But what we did at 1 am now (Operation Sindoor) despite difficulty in collecting evidence in the darkness of night, was for twin reasons – first, we had confidence in our capabilities that we could take imagery, and second, we wanted to avoid civilian casualties."

Gen Chauhan revealed that dawn timings would have been easier for the armed forces.

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"The best (option) would have been the time of 5.30 am or 6 am... But that time of the first Azan or Namaz... many civilian lives would have been lost. We wanted to avoid that completely," he added.

India's decision to choose the intervening night of May 6 and 7 for strikes was deliberate, revealed CDS Chauhan.

He said that India was monitoring the neighbouring nation's flying activities for some time and chose the strike on the night of May 7, as the weather was clear with no rain prediction.