As India confirms, Pakistan army is moving troops towards forward areas.
Our Bureau
New Delhi
In a decisive response to Pakistan’s aggressive actions along the western border and Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces on Saturday targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds.
Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft.
She further noted that the precision targeting was done to minimise any collateral damage, reiterating India’s commitment to not wanting to escalate the situation.
“In response to Pakistan targeting civilian targets, the Indian Armed Forces retaliated and targeted technical installations, command and control centres, radar sites and ammunition strongholds… Pakistan military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, rahim yar khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged by air-launched precision weapons from our fighter aircraft… Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases were also targeted using precision weapons. While carrying out these attacks, India has ensured minimal collateral damage,” she said.
Colonel Qureshi also outlined the extent of Pakistan’s aggression, which included the use of Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), long-range weapons, loitering ammunition, and fighter jets to target India’s military structures.
“Pakistan has continued its aggressive attack on the western border. At the LoC, they used drones and heavy-calibre weapons to attack. From Srinagar to Naliya, in more than 26 locations, airspace infiltration was attempted,” she stated.
Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan’s use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjab’s airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned.
“Pakistan has continued its aggressive attack on the western border… They used UCAP drones, long-range weapons, loitering ammunition and fighter Jets to target India’s military structures… At LoC they used drones and heavy-calibre weapons to attack… At the IB and LoC from Srinagar to Naliya, in more than 26 locations airspace infiltration was attempted,” she said.
“The Indian armed forces have successfully engaged and retaliated to the attacks. However, airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhujj and Bhatinda station equipment were damaged and personnel were injured… Pakistan has used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab’s airbase station… A condemning and unprofessional act was done by Pakistan by targeting Hospitals and Schools in Air bases in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur,” Qureshi added.
Meanwhile, addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas, signalling possible offensive intentions.
Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan.
“Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates,” Singh said.
“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 Suratgarh and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan,” she added.
Earlier today, Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones were recovered in Punjab’s Amritsar which were launched by Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, as per defence officials.
The attacks were launched in several civilian areas of the region leaving their lives endangered. The attempt was thwarted by the Indian Army Air Defence guns at 5 am as the drones were destroyed in the air itself, as per the defence officials.
“Pakistan launched Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones in Amritsar, Punjab endangering the residential areas of Punjab. The attempt was thwarted by Army Air Defence guns at 5 AM today, destroying the same in the air. The drone was aimed to target civilian areas and innocent civilians,” defence officials said in their statement.
Fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were also recovered by the locals in Rajasthan’s Barmer on Saturday.
Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control.
Pakistan’s attempted retaliation came in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. The operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, with a focus on avoiding military escalation.
