India Strikes Back: Precision Attacks Hit 8 Key Pakistani Military Sites in Major Escalation

Key Points

• Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted precision airstrikes on eight major Pakistani military sites, including command centers, radar stations, and ammunition depots.
• Strikes were a direct response to Pakistan’s coordinated attacks on Indian Air Force bases and civilian infrastructure using drones, missiles, and fighter jets.
• Pakistani attacks caused limited damage to IAF stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and targeted medical centers and schools at Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur.
• India emphasized minimum collateral damage, focusing only on identified military targets.
• Pakistan intensified shelling along the LoC and International Border, resulting in casualties and injuries among Indian officials and civilians.
• India presented evidence debunking Pakistan’s claims of destroying Indian military assets, and condemned the use of civilian airliners in military operations.

NEW Delhi: In a significant escalation of hostilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched precision strikes on eight key Pakistani military sites early Saturday, responding to a wave of attacks by Pakistan on Indian Air Force installations and civilian infrastructure across the western border and the Line of Control.

Details of the Pakistani Attacks

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Pakistan initiated a series of coordinated assaults using drones, loitering munitions, high-speed missiles, and fighter aircraft. These attacks targeted IAF bases at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, as well as civilian facilities at Srinagar and Avantipur. In a particularly reckless move, medical centers and school premises at these bases were also struck.

Colonel Sofia Qureshi confirmed that while Indian defenses neutralized many threats, some damage to equipment and personnel occurred at the affected bases. A high-speed missile was also launched towards a Punjab airbase at 1:40 am, further escalating the situation.

India’s Retaliatory Strikes: Operation Sindoor

In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces executed Operation Sindoor, targeting only identified military assets in Pakistan. The eight sites struck included:

• Rafiqui Airbase
• Murid Airbase
• Chaklala Airbase
• Rahim Yar Khan
• Sukkur
• Chunian
• Radar site at Pasroor
• Sialkot Aviation Base

These were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets. Targets included technical infrastructure, command and control centers, radar facilities, and weapon storage areas. The MEA emphasized that every effort was made to ensure minimum collateral damage.

Ongoing Cross-Border Shelling

Following the airstrikes, Pakistan intensified shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border, targeting sectors such as Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor. This resulted in the death of Rajouri’s Additional District Development Commissioner and injuries to civilians in Ferozepur and Jalandhar.

India Debunks Pakistani Claims

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials presented timestamped images from Indian airbases at Adampur, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Nagrota, and Chandigarh, confirming that runways and depots remained intact. India also condemned Pakistan’s use of civilian airliners during military operations, warning of the risk to international civil aviation.

“Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. India ensured minimum collateral damage and losses,” said Colonel Sofia Qureshi.

Strategic Message

The MEA reiterated that India’s strikes were “calibrated, limited, and intended to degrade Pakistan’s offensive air and drone capabilities – not to escalate conflict, but to send a clear message”.

Timeline of Recent Escalation