Pakistan launches attacks under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos. What does the name mean?

A Pakistani army soldier stands atop a military vehicle carrying Fatah missile (Guided Multi Launch Rocket System) during the Pakistan Day parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2022. (Photo by Ghulam Rasool / AFP)

Pakistan, in the intervening night of May 9 and 10, launched multiple air-borne attacks on India across 26 locations in north and western parts of the country under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos.

Islamabad carried out multiple drone and missile attacks across cities in Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer among others.

Pakistan also launched its Fatah missiles towards Delhi, which were successfully intercepted in Sirsa.

Soon after, India struck Pakistan’s air bases-Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, the Rafiqi Air Base in Shorkot, and the Murid Air Base in Chakwal. ANI reported that there was one more unnamed air base where New Delhi had carried out an attack. Moneycontrol could not independently verify these reports.

The attacks by Pakistan were code-named Operation Bunyan-Un-Marsoos. What does it mean?

Under Operation Bunyan-Un-Marsoos, Islamabad has targeted “multiple targets” across India, a statement by Pakistan Armed Forces said.

The name of the operation, "Bunyan-un-Marsoos", means "solid structure" or "impenetrable wall", according to TRT Global.

As per Al Jazeera, the Arabic phrase comes from a verse in Islam’s holy book Quran and translates to 'a structure made of lead'.

What all has been targeted?

In a statement, Pakistan said it has targeted India’s Brahmos missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur. All the attacks have been successfully neutralized by India.

What Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif said on the conflict?

Earlier, on May 9, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif had said that there was “no option left”, other than a “full blown war”.

He said, “We don’t have any other options left than this… we have to pay them back in the same coin,” he said in an interview with a Pakistani news channel.

Soon after the attack, Operation Bunyan-Un-Marsoos was launched.

Tensions between the two countries flared up after Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.