New Delhi: On Saturday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted airstrikes on eight military installations in Pakistan, targeting radar systems and ammunition depots with precision-guided munitions. This action was a direct response to aggressive assaults by the neighboring military on India’s military facilities and civilian regions, which involved the use of fighter jets, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and missiles, as reported by two military officials during a special briefing regarding Operation Sindoor—India’s military retaliation following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
The IAF executed these strikes on military sites located in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot, as tensions between the two nations escalated sharply due to Pakistan’s recent provocative actions. Additionally, the Pakistani military launched missile attacks on several airbases in Punjab after 1:40 am, with medical facilities and educational institutions at three airbases in Jammu and Kashmir also sustaining damage. These overnight events represent the most intense confrontation between the two armed forces since the initiation of Operation Sindoor on May 7, raising concerns about the potential for a full-scale war.
India’s military operations focused on key military assets such as technical infrastructure, command and control centers, radar installations, and weapon storage facilities, according to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the officials mentioned. The Indian forces executed precise strikes exclusively on designated military objectives.
Colonel Qureshi noted that the Pakistani military persisted in its provocations, conducting aggressive maneuvers through various threat vectors along the western border. They utilized unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), drones, long-range armaments, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to target both civilian regions and military installations. Additionally, they engaged in air incursions with drones and discharged heavy-caliber munitions along the Line of Control (LoC).
On Friday, India retaliated against Pakistan after successfully countering drone strikes at 26 sites across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Drones were observed over a broad area, from Baramulla and Srinagar in the north to Bhuj in the west, along both the international border and the LoC.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, the second official, reported that air intrusions and multiple harassment attacks were attempted from Srinagar to Naliya in Gujarat at over 26 locations. “The Indian armed forces effectively neutralized these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, some damage was incurred to equipment and personnel at IAF stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj,” Singh stated.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also addressed the media alongside the two female officers. This briefing marked the fourth update on Operation Sindoor. Misri emphasized that India’s military actions early Saturday were a direct response to Pakistan’s escalating and provocative behavior, which is engaged in a “wanton campaign” against civilians in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. The pattern of Pakistani attacks on civilian infrastructure reemerged in the early hours of Saturday.
The Pakistani military has been seen deploying troops to forward positions, suggesting an intention to escalate hostilities, according to two officials. Qureshi stated, ‘The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high level of operational readiness. We have effectively countered all hostile actions and responded appropriately, ensuring minimal collateral damage during these operations.’
Additionally, Pakistan has attempted to perpetuate a malicious misinformation campaign, falsely claiming the destruction of Indian S-400 systems at Adampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, a BrahMos base at Nagrota, an ammunition depot in Chandigarh, and artillery positions in a forward area. ‘India categorically rejects these false narratives propagated by Pakistan,’ she asserted. Misri also refuted Pakistan’s assertions regarding the destruction or damage to military installations, critical infrastructure, and power and cyber systems. Pakistan has made several attempts to breach the Line of Control using drones and has targeted civilian infrastructure with heavy artillery, resulting in civilian casualties.
‘Intense exchanges of artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire have been ongoing in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor sectors. The Indian Army has responded effectively and proportionately, inflicting significant damage on the Pakistan Army,’ Qureshi added. The Indian armed forces reaffirm their commitment to non-escalation, contingent upon a reciprocal stance from the Pakistan military, the officials noted. At 5 a.m. on Saturday, Pakistani forces launched multiple Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones across the International Border towards Amritsar, in a bold attempt to target populated residential areas, according to informed sources. ‘The Indian Army’s air defense network detected, tracked, and engaged the hostile drones within seconds of their incursion into Indian airspace,’ one source reported. Quick-reaction air defense systems were employed to neutralize the drone swarm, the sources confirmed.
