New Delhi: Indian Armed Forces (IAF) on Saturday destroyed seven key Pakistani military sites in precise airstrikes in response to a series of cross-border attacks. This includes five airbases and two radar facilities, targeted as part of India’s response to Pakistan’s drone and missile attacks that escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Addressing the media, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri shared key details of the ongoing military situation between India and Pakistan. Speaking at the press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri strongly criticized Pakistan’s “provocative and escalatory” actions, including its use of armed drones to target Indian cities and civilian infrastructure during the night of May 8–9.
Drones used in massive cross-border attack
According to Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Pakistan launched 300–400 drones across 36 locations, from Leh to Sir Creek, attempting to hit Indian military installations. The Indian Army and Air Force responded swiftly, using both kinetic (weapons-based) and non-kinetic (electronic or jamming-based) methods to neutralize the threat.
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Singh confirmed that an attempted armed UAV strike on Bathinda was also foiled. She added that many of the drones are believed to be Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, as revealed in preliminary forensic studies of the debris.
Civilian airliners used as shield
Both Singh and Qureshi said that Pakistan’s dangerous use of civil airliners during the drone and missile attacks. “Pakistan did not close its civil airspace and used commercial aircraft routes as a cover, knowing that India’s defensive response could put these flights at risk,” said Colonel Qureshi.
To support this claim, officials showed screenshots from the flight-tracking website Flightradar24, illustrating that while India had cleared its airspace in high-risk zones like Punjab, civil aircraft from Karachi to Lahore were flying near conflict zones in Pakistan’s airspace.
“This is highly irresponsible and endangers international civilian flights,” said Qureshi, adding that the misuse of civil air traffic routes during military strikes violates international aviation safety norms.
Response from India
In retaliation, the Indian military launched armed drones targeting four air defence positions inside Pakistan. One of the Indian drones successfully destroyed a Pakistani air defence radar. The military officials said Pakistan also carried out heavy artillery shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in areas including Uri, Rajouri, Poonch, and Udhampur, which led to some casualties and injuries among Indian soldiers.
Despite the growing conflict, Wing Commander Singh emphasized that India’s actions remain focused on military targets and are intended as measured responses. “We remain committed to non-escalation, provided Pakistan shows similar intent,” she said.
India also rejected Pakistan’s false claims about destroying Indian defence systems, such as the S-400 missile shield and key airbases. Singh showed images of AFS Sirsa and AFS Suratgarh taken on Saturday morning, confirming they are completely safe and operational.
These exchanges follow India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. India’s air and ground forces have remained on high alert since then.
Foreign Secretary Misri reaffirmed that the Indian armed forces are in full operational readiness and will continue to respond proportionately to any hostile action while maintaining commitment to peace, if Pakistan reciprocates.
