Pakistan Defence News, May 10, 2025 | Islamabad/New Delhi – Tensions between India and Pakistan have reached a critical point following a series of ballistic missile and drone attacks, marking one of the most severe escalations in their decades-long rivalry.
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes targeting Indian military bases, claiming these were in response to Indian missile attacks on three key Pakistani airbases earlier that day.
The conflict, rooted in a terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, has brought the two nuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of war, prompting international calls for de-escalation.
Pakistan Ballistic Missile Attack : Background
The current crisis traces back to April 22, 2025, when a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killed 26 tourists, including Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal.
India attributed the attack to Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, a claim Pakistan denied.
In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine alleged terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 24 missiles, killing 31 people, according to Pakistani reports.
Pakistan condemned the strikes as an act of war, setting the stage for the recent exchanges.
Pakistan’s Retaliatory Strikes
Early Saturday, Pakistan initiated Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos (Arabic for “Wall of Lead”), targeting Indian airbases in Punjab, Jammu, and Haryana.
Pakistani military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed India fired six surface-to-air missiles at Pakistan’s Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot) airbases around 1:40 AM IST.
Pakistan’s air defenses reportedly intercepted most missiles, though the Murid airbase sustained significant damage, according to Pakistani claims.
In response, Pakistan deployed short-range ballistic missiles, including the indigenously developed Fatah-II (400 km range, 365 kg warhead), and 300–400 Turkish drones, targeting 26 locations across India, from Srinagar to Gujarat.
Indian officials reported intercepting a Fatah-II missile in Haryana’s Sirsa and neutralizing 70 drones, with 50 shot down and 20 jammed.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, during a Ministry of External Affairs briefing, accused Pakistan of targeting medical and educational facilities in Srinagar, Avantipura, and Udhampur, though no civilian casualties were confirmed.
India’s Defense and Counterclaims
India’s advanced air defense network, including the indigenous Akash missile system, played a pivotal role in thwarting Pakistan’s attacks.
» The Indian Air Force reported no damage to its airbases in Pathankot, Udhampur, or Adampur, asserting full operational functionality.
» Indian officials dismissed Pakistan’s claim that its Fatah-II missiles destroyed India’s S-400 air defense system as “false.”
» Debris from a Pakistani missile was found near a village in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur, and a drone attack in Jalandhar’s Kangniwal village injured one civilian and damaged homes.
» India’s military accused Pakistan of escalating the conflict by using Chinese-supplied PL-15 long-range missiles, with debris recovered in Punjab’s Bathinda confirming their use.
» India’s Operation Sindoor was described as a “responsible” retaliation, avoiding collateral damage, with precision strikes on terror launchpads, including one in Looni, Sialkot, destroyed by the Border Security Force (BSF).
International Reactions and Concerns
The international community has urged restraint, given the nuclear capabilities of both nations.
The G7 nations, in a joint statement on May 9, condemned the Pahalgam attack and called for direct dialogue to prevent further escalation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, offering to facilitate “constructive talks.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that India’s actions left Pakistan “no choice” but to retaliate, citing failed diplomatic efforts by allies like the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
The conflict has disrupted civilian life, with Pakistan shutting its airspace and India enforcing blackouts in Punjab and Jammu.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) was suspended for a week, and Pakistan’s Super League (PSL) relocated to the UAE.
Critical Analysis of Pakistan Ballistic Missile Attack
The rapid escalation raises questions about both nations’ claims. Pakistan’s assertion that Indian missiles landed in India and Afghanistan lacks evidence, while India’s claim of targeting only terror bases is contested by Pakistani reports of civilian deaths.
The use of advanced weaponry, like Pakistan’s Fatah-II and Chinese PL-15, and India’s Akash system, underscores the growing role of technology in this conflict.
The absence of a National Command Authority meeting in Pakistan, as confirmed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, suggests no immediate nuclear escalation, but the risk remains high.
The India-Pakistan conflict, now involving ballistic missiles and drones, marks a dangerous new phase in their rivalry.
With both sides accusing each other of provocation, the international community’s push for diplomacy is critical to averting a full-scale war.
The situation remains fluid, with Pakistan’s retaliation ongoing and India’s response expected to shape the next phase.
