There are heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following a string of missile and drone attacks by Pakistan against Indian military bases and civilian targets. As per Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Pakistani military “used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India’s military sites…”
She said that India neutralized most threats, but Pakistan tried infiltration through air at over 26 points, causing damage to infrastructure and personnel at Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda air bases.
#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor | Col Sofiya Qureshi says, “Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India’s military sites… India neutralised many dangers, but… pic.twitter.com/khpGpg3u9v
— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025
Colonel Qureshi also reported that the missiles were fired at high speeds at 1:40 am, specifically to target Punjab’s air base, along with hitting schools and health facilities. Adding to the gravity of the matter, she reported that Pakistan still utilized civilian air traffic as a shield throughout these operations.
India Gives Blunt Diplomatic Retort
In reaction to the attack, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated that Pakistan’s actions amounted to evident provocations and escalations. “I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern,” Misri said in a special press briefing.
#WATCH | #OperationSindoor | Debunking claims of Pakistani propaganda, India shows time-stamped images of Indian air bases undamaged. pic.twitter.com/kioq065NbY
— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025
He also deplored the ongoing use by Pakistan of civilian flights as a cover, describing it as a “nefarious activity” that endangers innocent lives. Despite the calculated hostility, Misri reiterated that India is committed to calibrated and measured responses, without diluting national security.
India Exposes Pakistani Misinformation
Alongside its armed aggression, Pakistan has also started an online disinformation campaign with false assertions of the successful destruction of strategic Indian targets like the S-400 system and Surat and Sirsa airfields. India quickly countered these claims by showing time-stamped satellite photos confirming that the targeted Indian air bases are intact.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh emphasized India’s reaction, “In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets… Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.”
The Pahalgam Terror Attack and Escalation
This sensational escalation came after the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 civilians after reportedly forcing them to read scriptures to determine Muslims from non-Muslims. As a retaliatory measure, India conducted Operation Sindoor, a surgical strike on May 7 targeting nine terrorist training camps in Pakistan and PoK, including one in Punjab, Pakistan, India’s deepest penetration since the 1971 war.
In the wake of Indian attacks, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, with a series of offensive air and missile raids in the name of defense, while still taking advantage of civil aviation corridors for military purposes.
