Missiles & drones neutralised, Pakistan may turn to terror proxies

NEW DELHI: For the Indian security establishment, the precision strikes on the nine terror camps were meant to be a stark message to LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists: "We know you were behind the cowardly attacks, we know where you are and we can get you despite the protection you have from Pakistan army and ISI".

The missiles and niche loitering munitions used by the Army and IAF, besides claiming a toll of over 100, may have also eroded the terrorists' confidence in the security umbrella of Pakistan army and it tried to repair the damage by turning out in fatigues for the funeral of those killed, the source said.

"As a possible corollary, they could leverage the frustration and insecurity of terrorists to incite them to launch attacks in India," the source said.

As per the estimate of the security establishment here, the risk of terrorists trying to set off fresh attacks has risen also because of India's success in neutralising the efforts to breach its air defence and target its military facilities over the past 48 hours. "They may fall back on the default option of using terror proxies to compensate for the failure of their forces," a senior govt functionary involved in decision-making said.

"Tragic aberrations like the April 22 mass killing in Pahalgam notwithstanding, India has been very successful in thwarting terror attacks over the past 10 years. But now we have to brace for a higher level of desperation," he said.