Limited damages at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj airbases: India

New Delhi: In a series of coordinated strikes, the Indian armed forces have effectively neutralised multiple threat vectors from Pakistan along the western border, countering aggressive actions that included UAV drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter aircraft targeting both military installations and civilian areas, said Col Sofiya Qureshi of the Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a press briefing on Saturday.

The offensive, which included air intrusions, heavy artillery, and high-speed missile attacks on Friday night and early Saturday, was met with a swift and calibrated response by Indian forces, significantly degrading Pakistan's military capabilities, Indian armed forces said.

Pakistani provocations met with firm retaliation

Pakistan's military initiated a series of provocations, employing a wide range of attack vectors from UAV drones and loitering munitions to long-range artillery and fighter jets, targeting Indian civilian areas and military infrastructure. The incursions included attempts at airspace violations and heavy-calibre shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border, with over 26 harassment attacks reported from Srinagar to Nalia.

Despite these aggressive manoeuvres, the Indian armed forces successfully neutralised most of the incoming threats. However, limited damage to the equipment and personnel was sustained at Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, where several high-speed missile strikes were reported after 1:40 AM. In a particularly reprehensible act, Pakistan targeted medical centres and school premises at Srinagar, Avantipura, and Udhampur air bases, yet again demonstrating a disregard for civilian lives and infrastructure.

Precision strikes on key Pakistani military targets

In a calculated and proportionate response, Indian fighter jets carried out precision strikes on key Pakistani military installations. Identified targets included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites, and weapon storage areas. The operations, aimed at minimising collateral damage, included the following:

Rafiqi, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunia: Air-launched precision weapons targeted critical military infrastructure.

Pasrur and Sialkot: Radar sites were struck with high-accuracy munitions, significantly impairing Pakistan's air defence capabilities.

These strikes effectively disrupted Pakistan's military operational capabilities, inflicting substantial damage on key installations while avoiding civilian areas.

Pakistan's misinformation campaign exposed

In a parallel effort to manipulate the narrative, Pakistan launched a widespread misinformation campaign, falsely claiming the destruction of India's S-400 system at Adampur, damage to airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, BrahMos depots at Nagrota, and anti-tank gun positions at Drangari. Pakistan also propagated exaggerated damage to Chandigarh's forward ammunition depot and other military stations via social media. India has unequivocally rejected these baseless claims, highlighting them as part of a coordinated attempt to distort the reality of the conflict.

LoC tensions escalate

Along the LoC, Pakistan has escalated hostilities with multiple air intrusions using drones and sustained shelling with heavy-calibre artillery guns. This reckless targeting of civilian infrastructure has resulted in civilian casualties in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor sectors, prompting a robust Indian response. The Indian Army has effectively countered these provocations, causing extensive damage to Pakistani military positions and forcing enemy troops to retreat from forward areas.

India reiterates call for non-escalation

As tensions remain high, the Indian armed forces continue to operate at peak readiness, fully prepared to respond to any further escalations. While India remains committed to non-escalation, this stance is contingent on reciprocal restraint from the Pakistani military, the statement from the Indian armed forces emphasised.