India inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani military infrastructure during a swift and calibrated air campaign dubbed Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 Indian civilians.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out precision strikes between May 6 and May 10, destroying a significant number of high-value Pakistani assets and forcing Islamabad to seek a ceasefire within four days.
According to a report by ANI citing defence sources involved in the operation, the IAF eliminated at least six Pakistani fighter jets, two surveillance aircraft, and one C-130 military transport aircraft.
Indian forces also neutralised over ten armed drones, multiple cruise missiles, and critical radar installations during the operation.
The air strikes, executed solely with air-launched cruise missiles, deliberately avoided using surface-to-surface weapons such as the BrahMos.
Rafale and Su-30 MKI fighters led the mission, supported by electronic warfare and surveillance platforms.
Among the key targets was the Bholari airbase, a significant Pakistani military installation.
In one of the most notable strikes, the IAF used a long-range Sudarshan missile to destroy a high-value aerial platform, likely an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft or an electronic warfare jet, from nearly 300 km away.
Reports also confirmed the destruction of another AEWC aircraft of Swedish origin, believed to be stationed at Bholari.
Defence officials suspect additional fighter jets may have been inside the damaged hangars.
Still, they have not included them in the official kill count due to Pakistan’s refusal to clear debris from the targeted sites.
Indian air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple Pakistani air- and ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles.
The IAF also shot down numerous Pakistani drones, including Chinese-made Wing Loong variants, during both Pakistani strikes and airspace incursions.
Pakistan released a dossier alleging that Indian forces struck seven civilian areas: Attock, Bahawalnagar, Gujrat, Jhang, Peshawar, Chhor, and Hyderabad, resulting in civilian casualties.
However, Indian officials rejected the allegations, labelling them as ‘propaganda’.
“We disclosed our targets transparently,” said an Indian defence official. “This Pakistani document seems like an attempt to falsely portray Indian actions as indiscriminate. All our strikes were directed solely at terror infrastructure.”
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking four terror hubs in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The targeted locations included:
Following Pakistan’s escalation with missile and drone attacks on Indian military and civilian locations, India retaliated forcefully, striking nine Pakistani airbases and multiple radar facilities.
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