Many women pilots part of Operation Sindoor; BrahMos crippled Pak air bases, over 170 terrorists killed: Sources

Locals stand on the debris of destroyed structures in Muridke about 30 kilometres from Lahore, on May 7, after Indian strikes.

Over 170 terrorists were eliminated in India’s massive May 7 strikes under Operation Sindoor, with the biggest blow dealt in Bahawalpur, a key terror hub in Pakistan. The operation also saw prominent participation of Indian women fighter pilots, marking a historic moment for the armed forces, top defence sources exclusively told Moneycontrol.

In total, 42 Pakistani military personnel were killed in the Indian strikes, while India lost seven. During follow-up strikes on May 9–10, BrahMos missiles inflicted severe damage on multiple Pakistani air bases, many of which are now crippled, they added.

Islamabad initially rejected claims of Indian airstrikes inflicting severe damage to its airbases but was left exposed when satellite images confirmed the same. Some of Pakistani leaders also admitted to suffering heavy damages in India's retaliatory action.

Sources also confirmed that every planned target was hit with precision, showcasing India's advanced strike capabilities. “We hit all the targets we intended,” a defence source said.

They also said that Pakistan, facing humiliation and heavy losses, is expected to retaliate to save face. Indian forces remain on high alert, with clear instructions to stay prepared, sources said, clarifying that Operation Sindoor is not over; it’s only paused.

They also said that India’s show of force was the result of key defence decisions taken after the India-China border standoff in the Doklam region, enhancing readiness and strike capacity.

Defence sources told Moneycontrol that Pakistan’s move to promote Asim Munir to Field Marshal - Pakistan’s highest military rank - was being viewed in Delhi as a face-saving attempt amid growing internal pressure.

Operation Sindoor was India’s massive military response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, claimed by The Resistance Front - an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

On the intervening night of May 6-7, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes on at last nine locations, demolishing several terror launch pads in Pakistan and PoK, terming it 'Operation Sindoor'.

This led to further escalation as Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks, which were neutralised by India's robust air defence system. India responded by hitting military installations and air defence systems located in prominent Pakistani cities like Lahore and Rawalpindi among others.

On May 10, within a span of just three hours, India targeted 11 military installations, including Noor Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad. Satellite images before and after the strikes on Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad and Bholari airbase clearly illustrate the scale of the destruction.

The two countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart.