Indian army hits several Pakistani airbases following Islamabad's aerial strikes

Late on Friday night, the Indian Army reported numerous drone sightings over several sensitive areas, including Jammu, Samba, Rajouri, Udhampur, Nagrota, Reasi, Awantipora, Poonch, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Pathankot and Amritsar in Punjab. (File photo)

The Indian armed forces launched retaliatory strikes on eight Pakistani airbases in the early hours of Saturday, confirmed Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during the MEA press meet.

The strikes came after a night of heightened cross-border hostilities.

Check live updates here on the rising escalation between India and Pakistan

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated, “Following Pakistan’s deliberate targeting of Indian air bases, the Indian armed forces executed a swift and meticulously planned retaliatory strike. Our forces specifically targeted Pakistan’s technical installations, command and control centres, radar sites, and arms depots.”

She further detailed that Pakistani military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian were struck using air-launched precision ammunition and fighter jets. In addition, the radar site at Pasrur and the aviation base at Sialkot were precisely targeted.

Colonel Qureshi noted, “Throughout these operations, India ensured minimum collateral damage and losses.”

Late on Friday night, the Indian Army reported numerous drone sightings over several sensitive areas, including Jammu, Samba, Rajouri, Udhampur, Nagrota, Reasi, Awantipora, Poonch, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Pathankot and Amritsar in Punjab.

Providing further details, Colonel Qureshi said, “The Pakistani forces have escalated aggressive activities across the entire western front. They have deployed UCAV drones, long-range weapons, heavy ammunition, and fighter jets, specifically targeting Indian Army infrastructure.

She also added, "Heavy firing was reported along the Line of Control (LoC), and at both the LoC and the International Border (IB), their fighter jets attempted intrusions at more than 26 locations."

"The Indian armed forces successfully neutralised most of these attempts, though damage was inflicted at several air force installations, including Udhampur, Pathankot, Bhuj, and Bathinda. Notably, at 1:40 a.m., Pakistan launched a high-speed missile targeting the Punjab air base," noted the Colonel.

India, on Saturday, confirmed that Pakistan’s armed forces have been continuously targeting Indian military sites and civilian areas along the western border, further escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.

At a joint press briefing by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed the media on the rapidly unfolding situation.