New Delhi | It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who picked the evocative term "Operation Sindoor" to codename the Indian armed forces' strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, official sources said on Wednesday.

With terrorists in Pahalgam gunning down 26 civilians, all men and mostly tourists, and the devastated wives of several of the victims becoming the face of the tragedy, the name "Operation Sindoor" was considered the appropriate moniker for the retaliatory exercise, they noted.

The government, at an official briefing, said the targets were hit between 1.05 am and 1.30 am, with precision missiles and drones facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.

Modi monitored the operation through the night and later praised the armed forces at the weekly meeting of the Union Cabinet for the successful strike.

Sources said it was the prime minister's idea to codename the military exercise aimed at avenging the slaughtering of civilians, a few of them couples celebrating their wedding at the famous tourist town, as "Operation Sindoor".

Vermillion (sindoor) is associated with married women in Indian tradition.

The picture of a distraught Himanshi Narwal sitting beside the body of her newly-wed husband and Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal in the meadow became the defining image of the tragedy, which sparked a nationwide outrage and demand for action against the terrorists and their handlers.

The couple were married for less than a week and were on honeymoon in Pahalgam.

Dinesh Mirania of Raipur and Neha had arrived to celebrate their weeding anniversary when terrorists killed him, while Kanpur-based businessman Shubham Dwivedi and Aishanya were there after tying the know in February.

Several women accompanying the victims said the men were religiously profiled by the terrorists and shot dead at a point-blank range.