Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan airbase in ICU because of Indian strikes, says PM Narendra Modi in Bikaner rally

PM reached Bikaner and visited the iconic Karni Mata temple on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan air base is in the ICU because of India's air strikes during Operation Sindoor.

"Pakistan couldn't destroy the airbase here. Not far from here is Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan air base which is in ICU because of India's air strikes," said PM Modi while addressing a rally in Bikaner. "They thought that India would sit quietly. They didn't expect us to strike back. The ones who were proud of their arms are now shattered under debris," said PM Modi.

PM Modi visited the iconic Karni Mata temple. Following his temple visit, he inaugurated the redeveloped Deshnoke Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme -- an initiative aimed at redeveloping over 1,300 railway stations across India.

Speaking about the Operation Sindoor, PM Modi said, "India has made it clear, Pakistan Army and its economy will have to pay heavy price for every terrorist attack."

The Indian Armed Forces on May 7  launched "Operation Sindoor" hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir after the 22 April Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives.

Rahim Yar Khan air base is in the Punjab province of Pakistan and located 200 km south of Bahawalpur.

Pakistan has extended the closure of the sole runway at its Rahim Yar Khan airbase till the morning of June 6. On the day of the airstrike, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority had issued a notice to airmen, or NOTAM, saying that the runway at the airbase will be unavailable for flight operations for a week—till 4.59 am Pakistan time (5:29 IST) on Sunday (May 18).

However, according to a new NOTAM that has replaced the previous notice, now the runway will not be available till 4.59 am Pakistan time on June 6. A close-up video released  by the Indian Armed Forces showed a massive crater gouged into the runway of Pakistan’s Rahim Yar Khan airbase.

"You can see the pin-point accuracy of our weapons," Air Marshal AK Bharti said while releasing the visuals of the targeted strikes at a press briefing.