Latest news with #OperationNeptuneSpear
News18
28-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
How Operation Sindoor Has Established New India's Modi Doctrine
Last Updated: If 'Aman Ki Aasha' defined the soft-pedalling approach of Congress governments, 'Brahmos ki Bhaasha' best sums up Modi's categorical creed in combating Pakistan's terror agenda Operation Sindoor, one of India's greatest military victories, has conclusively established New India's Modi Doctrine of proactively pulverising global terrorism sponsored by nation states. Operation Sindoor was significantly distinct from other successful strikes carried out against Pakistan after Modi became prime minister. Even Operation Neptune Spear conducted in 2011 by the United States military to eliminate Bin Laden was limited to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. But Operation Sindoor, effected by our valiant Indian armed forces, geographically struck not just in the vicinity of the Line of Control or International Border, but right in the centre of Pakistan—a nuclear state. From Nehru to Modi, India's canvas of engagement with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is distinguished by marked contrast. Following the Pakistan-backed tribal militia incursion in October 1947, Nehru—who also held the portfolio of foreign minister—internationalised the Kashmir issue in 1948, by referring it to the United Nations Security Council. Between 1962-1964, the Nehru government, bowing to international pressure, had proposed to give large areas of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan. In 1972, Indira Gandhi signed the Shimla Pact with Pakistan, forfeiting the valiant victory secured by our armed forces. Field Marshal Maneckshaw, in an interview, had remarked on how Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto outsmarted and outplayed Indira Gandhi, resulting in the release of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. Documents in the public domain also reveal how in 1974, Indira Gandhi had offered to share India's nuclear technology with Pakistan. The dastardly Mumbai terror attacks occurred between November 26–29, 2008, at 12 distinct locations, killing 166 people (including 18 security personnel and 26 foreign nationals.) The Congress led UPA government, let alone retaliate, did not even revoke the Most Favoured Nation status of Pakistan. This was done much later by PM Modi in 2019, in the wake of the Pulwama attack. It would not be an exaggeration to aver that while successive Congress governments followed a soft Pakistan placatory policy, PM Modi has consistently dealt with the menace of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in a very resolute, assertive and decisive manner. If 'Aman Ki Aasha' defined the soft-pedalling approach of Congress governments toward Pakistan, then 'Brahmos ki Bhaasha' best sums up PM Modi's categorical creed in combating Pakistan's terror agenda. In 2016, 11 days after terrorists attacked the Uri Army base killing 19 soldiers, the Indian Army in a ground operation crossed the Line of Control and destroyed terror launch pads up to 3km inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir, eliminating about 50 militants. On February 14, 2019, terrorists attacked a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, killing 40 personnel. Twelve days later in an air-based operation, Indian jets crossed the International Border and razed down terrorist training camps, killing nearly 300 militants. Operation Sindoor, which commenced 15 days after the Pahalgam attack, avenged it conclusively, killing more than 100 terrorists. It encompassed a holistic integrated approach, decisively demonstrating both India's military and non-military might with strategic clarity. Operation Sindoor decimated 11 Pakistan's military airbases and reduced to rubble nine epicentres of global terrorism. For the first time since it was signed in 1960, the lopsided Indus Waters Treaty was suspended by India. This has far-reaching consequences for Pakistan with about 237 million people and one-fourth of Pakistan's GDP being severely dependent on this vital lifeline. After being pummelled by India in Operation Sindoor, Pakistan is now beseeching India for talks on the Indus Waters Treaty. Since Modi became PM in 2014, from a fragile 11th, India has now risen to become the 4th largest economy in the world. When Pakistan is staring at an economic black hole, India is now the fastest-growing economy in the world. Operation Sindoor is being lauded by world nations for delivering a decisive blow to the very roots of global terrorism. It has established a new normal for New India—the Modi Doctrine, which is here to stay. The author is a national spokesperson of the BJP. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. First Published: May 28, 2025, 10:08 IST
India Today
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
American Manhunt review: Riveting documentary about hunt for Laden that hits home
Seldom does a documentary look like a feature film at every step of its way. The dramatisation and reality don't often go hand-in-hand, but in 'American Manhunt - Osama bin Laden', all the walls get broken to present a fact-by-fact, and a step-by-step hunt for a man deemed the World's Most Wanted for a very long the new Netflix documentary, effectively limited to three episodes, you just don't see what conspired on the CIA desk, and inside the White House's Situation Room, but also inside the minds of those who spent over a decade of their lives hunting down bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attack in the US. You see the real-life footage of the attack - the Twin Towers being hit by passenger flights and crumbling down to ashes in no time. While the political jargon and the defence expertise keep you hooked, it's how the documentary humanises the 'hunt' that makes it more thrilling and fear among the masses, the spirit of a nation ready to bring their perpetrators to justice, and the authorities busy learning and unlearning on their journey to hunt the man - everything comes alive in the documentary. It's not about the facts for us, because that, we know. It's about going deeper into the psyche of people associated with the hunt, tracing the length and the depth of their wounds that kept festering for over a decade, until that morning of ultimate healing, after Operation Neptune Spear, when Obama announced that the world's hunt was finally documentary makes you sit on the edge of your seat throughout the entire time. It swiftly moves on like a channel of insiders passing on critical information, and ends up being a massive entertainer - informative and Before watching the documentary, and realising its depth, one has to realise the magnitude of the attack itself. 9/11 is considered the largest terrorist attack in modern history. It claimed over 3,000 innocent lives - children, women, foreigners and businesspeople - out there to start yet another day at what was called the 'World Trade Centre'. The incident sent the entire world into mourning, and also began a phase of terror which didn't spare any part of the world, worked without selection and thrived on fear, chaos, and indiscriminate documentary features victims of the attack wrapped in ashes, the survivors howling in the background as a TV reporter captures one of the towers collapsing right behind him. At that moment, the incident became more than an attack on the world's largest economy. It becomes an attack on humanity, an attempt at introducing a new order in a world marred by fear, division and the erosion of global three-part series travels from George W. Bush's reign to Barack Obama's, and much like the mission itself, it never flinches from its goal: the capturing of bin Laden. It is told from the perspective of the CIA officials and the defence personnel in-charged with the mission to capture the notorious Al-Qaeda leader, who was first hiding in Afghanistan before Pakistan sheltered him and his family in Abbotabad, near their military are largely treated to interviews with CIA officials, counterterrorism analysts and military personnel, notably Tracy Walder, Michael Morell, Kevin Shaeffer, and the most memorable - Navy SEAL Robert O'Neil - who is believed to have fired the bullet that killed bin the most haunting of them all remains the one featuring Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence, who escaped the third attack on the same day, at the Pentagon, and, in his own words, "flat-lined twice" on the operating 'American Manhunt', we see everything playing right in front of our eyes. The suffering, spirit, action, desperation, hope, promises, disappointment and at last, the sigh of relief - everything is visible and becomes personal. The timing of the release of this documentary makes it even more real, especially for Indians who continue to reel from the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack of April 22, which claimed 26 lives, and was planned and carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of another Pakistan-backed, UN-designated terror outfit - Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).advertisementThe documentary offers a stark, unvarnished portrayal of the entire mission - steering clear of any glorification. It doesn't shy away from showing that it took the US an entire decade to track down their attacker, a delay shaped significantly by internal political strife. From blame games within the cabinet to the critical turning points that defined the mission, the series captures how some lost hope while others chose to slow see the staging of a makeshift compound to replay every possible scenario before going for the actual attack on the adversary, and you know that the documentary will never let you settle. The three episodes bring alive a nation's prolonged pursuit of justice - one constantly and considerably beaten by its own internal like 9/11 don't require added dramatisation. While crafting a documentary around such tragedies, there's no need for stylistic embellishments or fictionalised storytelling, because the reality is already intense and heartbreaking enough to drive a compelling narrative.'American Manhunt', about one of the world's most significant manhunts, hits close to home at a time when India endures its own moments of grief and resilience. The documentary resonates beyond America. It reminds us that justice may be delayed, but the quest of it restores faith.
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
From Neptune Spear to Wooden Leg: India's Operation Sindoor joins history's bold counterterror strikes
India's Operation Sindoor, which targetted nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), joins the ranks of decisive cross-border military actions against terrorist threats. Throughout history, several nations have conducted similar operations when confronted with terrorism beyond their borders. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri (center) with Indian army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi (left) and Indian Air Force officer Wing Commander Vyomika Singh (right) address the media after 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday. (AP Photo) Like these precedents, India's Operation Sindoor struck terrorist infrastructure with precision. The coordinated strikes destroyed camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, targetting facilities responsible for attacks including the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Military officials have emphasised that the operation avoided civilian casualties while dismantling terrorist training and staging areas up to 100km inside Pakistani territory. US: Operation Neptune Spear (2011) On May 2, 2011, the United States conducted Operation Neptune Spear, in which SEAL Team Six killed Osama bin Laden at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The operation targetted bin Laden as the leader of al-Qaeda and mastermind behind the September 11 attacks. This raid involved US forces operating without Pakistani authorisation roughly 120 miles (193km) inside Pakistani territory. US: Operation Infinite Reach (1998) Operation Infinite Reach was the code name for American cruise missile strikes on al-Qaeda bases launched on August 20, 1998. The US Navy targetted the al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan, and terrorist training camps in Khost Province, Afghanistan, in retaliation for the bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. These strikes represented the first major American response to al-Qaeda terrorist attacks. Israel: Operation Entebbe (1976) On July 3-4, 1976, Israeli commandos conducted a hostage rescue mission at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, where terrorists had been holding 106 Israeli and Jewish passengers from a hijacked Air France flight. Israeli transport planes flew 100 commandos over 4,000 kilometers to Uganda, successfully rescuing 102 hostages. The operation targetted members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and German Revolutionary Cells, who had demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel: Operation Spring of Youth (1973) The 1973 Israeli raid in Lebanon (known as Operation Spring of Youth) took place on April 9-10, 1973, when Israeli special forces attacked several Palestine Liberation Organization targets in Beirut and Sidon. The operation specifically targeted three senior PLO officials: Kamal Adwan, Mohammed Youssef Najjar, and Kamal Nasser, who were killed in retaliation for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. Russia: Operations in Chechnya/Georgia In August 2002, Russia conducted a series of airstrikes on purported Chechen separatist havens in the Pankisi Gorge in Georgia. Russia accused Georgia of allowing Chechen militants to operate on Georgian territory and permitting the flow of fighters and materials across the border. These cross-border operations were part of Russia's broader counter-insurgency campaign against Chechen separatists. Colombia: Operation Phoenix/Operación Fénix (2008) Operación Fénix (Operation Phoenix) was an attack by the Colombian military against a camp of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 1.8km over the border in Sucumbíos Province, Ecuador, on March 1, 2008. The operation specifically targetted and killed Raúl Reyes, a high-ranking member of FARC's leadership council. This was a significant blow to the FARC organisation and caused diplomatic tensions between Colombia and Ecuador.
News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
From Abbottabad's Neptune Spear To Operation Sindoor, Pakistani Forces Caught Off Guard Once Again
Last Updated: Pakistan was unprepared, just like it was in 2011, when the US carried out 'Operation Neptune Spear' to kill Osama bin Laden, in their version of India's 'ghus ke maarenge' As the visuals of India's Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) flooded the social media, Pakistani locals were puzzled, but not by the airstrikes. The tension with India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack on April 22 was no secret and even their leaders had spoken about such a possibility. But even two weeks later, the Pakistani government was completely unprepared, just like it was in 2011, when the United States (US) carried out 'Operation Neptune Spear' to kill Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, in what was their version of India's ' ghus ke maarenge". OPERATION SINDOOR: 9 TARGETS, 25 MINUTES The Indian armed forces struck terrorist camps in Pakistan's Punjab and PoK. Four targets were hit in Punjab, where the headquarters of Jaish and Lashkar are located, while five targets were destroyed in PoK, officials said. As many as 21 terror strikes across nine targets were carried out within 25 minutes late Tuesday night, around 1 am to 1.30 am. Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar's 10 family members, including his sister, were killed in the Indian strikes inside Pakistan's Bahawalpur. The UN-designated terrorist's brother-in-law was also among the family members blown up in the strikes. On May 2, 2011, the United States conducted Operation Neptune Spear, in which SEAL Team Six shot and killed Osama bin Laden at his 'Waziristan Haveli' in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Laden, who founded al-Qaeda and masterminded the September 11 attacks, had been the subject of a United States military manhunt since the beginning of the War in Afghanistan, but escaped to Pakistan. Approved by American president Barack Obama and involving two dozen Navy SEALs in two Black Hawks, Operation Neptune Spear was launched from around 120 miles (190 km) away, near the Afghan city of Jalalabad. The raid took 40 minutes, and bin Laden was killed shortly before 1:00 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time. Three other men, including one of bin Laden's sons, and a woman in the compound were also killed. After the raid, the operatives returned to Afghanistan with Laden's corpse for identification and then flew over 850 miles to the Arabian Sea, where he was buried in accordance with Islamic tradition. Al-Qaeda confirmed bin Laden's death through posts made on militant websites on May 6, and vowed to avenge his killing. PAKISTAN CAUGHT NAPPING AGAIN After the killing of 26 in Kashmir's Pahalgam, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly warned that 'every terrorist, their handlers and backers would be tracked and punished". Home Minister Amit Shah, too, had warned: 'Chun chun ke jawaab denge". Pakistan's authorities, too, made statements about a possible attack from India. Barely 24 hours before the airstrikes, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said, 'If India dares to attack Pakistan and Pakistan's existence comes under threat, nobody will survive in this world." Asif had also likened the situation to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, saying that the same mentality is being applied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies. 'If this were to happen to us… if our existence is in danger, then either we survive, or no one does," he added. Their Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, had said after the closed-door UNSC meeting that while Pakistan does not seek confrontation, Islamabad was 'fully prepared to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity". Asif had also sought an investigation into the Pahalgam attack by Russia, China and other Western countries and said that a military incursion by neighbouring India was 'imminent". As India paused the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in one of the diplomatic measures after Pahalgam, Pakistan minister Hanif Abbasi warned that Islamabad's stockpile — Ghori, Shaheen, and Ghaznavi missiles along with 130 nuclear warheads — has been kept ' only for India." But caught unawares after the attack, their tone changed. Desperate to protect his image, PM Shehbaz Sharif vowed a 'response". Major General Ahmed Sharif, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), went a step further to hide the embarrassment. 'Pakistan will respond to it at a time and place of its own choosing. It will not go unanswered. The temporary pleasure of India will be replaced by enduring grief," he said. Asif, however, took a complete U-turn. ''This has been initiated by India. If India is ready to back down, they have taken the initiative, we have just responded. We have been saying this that we will never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we are attacked, we will respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up these things. But as long as we are under fire, we have to respond," Asif told a news channel. In a post, it is falsely claimed that the Pakistan Army has destroyed two Indian Army posts using mortars and gunfire along the LoC, inflicting heavy casualties. #PIBFactCheck ❌ The video shared is old and NOT from India. The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in… — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 27, 2025 NEXT STOP: FAKE NEWS FACTORY When the remarks failed to assuage their country, Pakistan turned to the fake news factory, claiming Pakistan Army had destroyed two Indian Army posts using mortars and gunfire along the LoC, inflicting heavy casualties. But India's Press Information Bureau (PIB) was quick to debunk it. 'The video shared is old and NOT from India. The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan," PIB in its fact-checked post stated. top videos View all A photo of the Pakistani Army's retaliation, which is going viral on social media platforms, is also 'falsely claimed" and is from a fire in Northern Ireland in March 2025. In addition to this, the report of the Indian Brigade Headquarters destroyed by Pakistan is also fake, the PIB stated. Several U-turns and face-saving measures later, too, Pakistan could barely undo the damage, both to the terror sites and its image. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : india Pakistan news18 specials Operation Sindoor Osama bin Laden Pahalgam attack Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 07, 2025, 14:33 IST News world From Abbottabad's Neptune Spear To Operation Sindoor, Pakistani Forces Caught Off Guard Once Again
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
Revisiting Osama Bin Laden Raid: How this Twitter user live-tweeted the 9/11 mastermind's assassination from Abbotabad
Social media never forgets! Ever scrolled through your timeline and seen a tweet from 2012 suddenly blow up again? Yep, that's the internet for you—where nothing really dies, it just waits for a comeback. Old posts resurfacing on social media have become a kind of digital boomerang. 14 years after Osama bin Laden was shot and killed, a tweet that was posted on X (formerly Twitter) about the live raid, has resurfaced and is going viral over social media. "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)," Sohaib Athar had posted at 1.28am on May 2, 2011. On the night of May 1, 2011, Sohaib Athar, an IT consultant in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was working late when he heard an unusual helicopter overhead. He tweeted, "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)," unknowingly becoming the first to report on the U.S. Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden. As the raid unfolded, Athar continued tweeting about the disturbances, including a loud bang that shook his windows. Unaware of the operation's significance, he speculated with others online about the events. It wasn't until President Obama's announcement that Athar realized he had live-tweeted a historic event. Following the revelation, Athar's tweets gained global attention, and he received numerous media inquiries. Despite the sudden fame, he remained modest, stating, "I am JUST a tweeter, awake at the time of the crash." He later shared his experience at the South by Southwest Interactive festival, discussing the role of citizen journalism. Following the 9/11 attacks , Osama bin Laden became the most wanted man globally. For nearly a decade, intelligence agencies scoured various regions, with numerous leads proving fruitless. The breakthrough came when the CIA identified a trusted courier of bin Laden, Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti. Tracking al-Kuwaiti led them to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a mere 1.3 kilometers from the Pakistan Military Academy. The compound's high walls, lack of internet or telephone connections, and unusual security measures raised suspicions. On May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs executed a covert operation, codenamed Operation Neptune Spear , resulting in the death of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks. In the early hours of May 2, two Black Hawk helicopters transported the SEALs from Afghanistan to Abbottabad. They located bin Laden. He was shot and killed. Social media is now a kind of living archive. Old posts act like digital breadcrumbs leading us back to the truth (or at least, to a different version of it). So when a key detail from a major event is dug up—say, a first-hand tweet during a protest, or a photo that contradicts the official story—it can completely change how people remember that moment. It's like someone hitting 'rewind' on the news. When old posts resurface, they do more than just being informative—they reshape narratives, spark debates, and sometimes even change public perception.
