IAF hits key Pakistani airbases amid escalating conflict

CHENNAI: CHENNAI: India confirmed Saturday morning that precision air strikes had hit multiple Pakistani Air Force (PAF) bases — including Nur Khan, Rahimyar Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, and Sialkot — as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot. The strikes were carried out using air-to-surface missiles launched from fighter aircraft.

The escalation comes after Pakistan initiated "Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos", prompting high alert in several Indian cities. A Pakistani Fatah-II surface-to-surface missile, with a range of around 400 kilometres, was successfully intercepted over Sirsa, Haryana.

In retaliation for the ongoing provocations — including drone incursions and ceasefire breaches over the past three days — India struck not only the aforementioned PAF bases but also targeted sites in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Multiple explosions were reported across these cities, including two in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore and Islamabad.

Friday night saw Pakistan launch another wave of drone attacks aimed at 26 locations spanning Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat. The Indian Ministry of Defence reported that attempts to damage key infrastructure such as airports and airbases were successfully thwarted. A family in Ferozpur, Punjab, sustained injuries in one of the strikes — the only civilian casualties reported so far. All border states were placed under precautionary blackout.

Despite the barrage, Indian military installations remained secure.