India’s 4-Day Strike Leaves Pakistan’s Military Infrastructure in Ruins

A temporary ceasefire brokered by the United States has brought a pause to the intense conflict between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed countries. The two nations were close to entering a full-scale war after days of heightened military confrontation involving fighter jets, missiles, smart bombs, kamikaze drones, and heavy artillery. During this period, India launched a series of strikes on terror camps, air bases, and military posts inside Pakistan. In response, Pakistan attempted to hit Indian military sites and civilian areas in various states.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Response to Pahalgam Attack

The conflict began following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. As a direct response, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7. According to officials monitoring the operation, it has successfully damaged Pakistan’s military and terror infrastructure. “We smashed the terror infrastructure there, hit their air defences and targeted several of their airbases. The Indian forces had a good run during the last four days. Pakistan’s counter-offensive was mostly thwarted,” said one of the officials, who did not want to be named.

Precision Strikes on Terror Camps

The operation started with Indian forces targeting nine terror training camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Within just 26 minutes, around 100 terrorists were killed in the precision strikes. Though India hasn’t officially confirmed the number, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly informed opposition leaders about this figure in a briefing. The chosen sites were based on verified intelligence and past involvement in terror-related activities. Of the targeted camps, five were between 9 and 30 kilometers inside PoK, while others were situated 6 to 100 kilometers within Pakistan, beyond the international border.

India used advanced weapons during these strikes, including Rafale-fired Scalp cruise missiles, Hammer precision bombs, M777 howitzers with Excalibur shells, and kamikaze drones. A second official noted, “The strikes threw Pakistan off balance. It launched a hurried counter-offensive that achieved little. Overall, India’s four-day report card outshines theirs.”

Defending Against Pakistani Retaliation

The next night, Pakistan attempted to launch coordinated missile and drone attacks on Indian military sites in 15 cities. However, Indian forces successfully intercepted and neutralized many of these threats. In retaliation, Indian forces destroyed several Pakistani air defence systems, including those located in Lahore and Karachi.

To counter incoming aerial threats, India activated a variety of air defence measures. These included the Russian-made S-400 Triumf system, India’s Akash surface-to-air missiles, the Barak 8 system, and anti-drone technologies. These systems operated through a network of radars and control centers that helped detect and eliminate the threats effectively. Despite the ceasefire, both nations suffered casualties—both military and civilian—due to the exchange of heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).

Drone Attacks and Indian Counter-Strikes

On the night between May 8 and 9, Pakistan carried out attacks on 36 sites across India, ranging from Leh in the north to Sir Creek in the west, using an estimated 300–400 Turkish-made Songar armed drones. Most of these drones were shot down by Indian defence systems.

India responded by launching strikes against Pakistani air defence systems. On the following day, Pakistan used drones to attack 26 locations near the LoC and the international border. Again, Indian forces intercepted and destroyed these threats using sophisticated air defence mechanisms.

Major Blow to Pakistan’s Military Assets

In the early hours of May 10, India delivered a significant blow to Pakistan by targeting eight of its key military sites. These included air bases, radar installations, and ammunition depots. The attacks came in response to Pakistan’s aggressive use of fighter jets, drones, and missiles against Indian targets.

The Indian Air Force hit facilities in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot. The strikes marked the most intense day of the ongoing operation and disrupted Pakistan’s core military infrastructure. Targets included radar systems, command centres, technical equipment, and weapons storage areas.

Extensive Damage to Pakistan’s Defence Capabilities

Speaking after the ceasefire announcement, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Pakistan had suffered severe losses as a result of its unprovoked aggression. “There has been extensive damage to crucial Pakistani airbases like Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari. Also, loss of air defence weapons and radars made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable. Across the LoC, extensive and precise damage to military infrastructure, command and control centres and logistics installations led to a complete breakdown of its defensive and offensive capabilities,” she added.