This aircraft, the size of a passenger airplane, was a critical asset. With this strike, the Indian Air Force registered its longest-ever air kill. These details were recalled by Air Force Chief A.P. Singh during a lecture delivered months after Operation Sindoor. Multiple air bases across Pakistan were struck. For the first time since the 1971 war, India attacked Pakistani military installations one after another. Missiles roared and the sound of fighter jets filled the skies, each explosion feeling like a sun rising in the dark night.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, a retaliation from India was expected, and it arrived with precision. Operation Sindoor began by striking only terrorist camps inside Pakistan, but the western adversary began targeting civilian areas and air bases from Kashmir to Kutch. Missiles and swarm drones were intercepted in what looked like a flawless show of technology. The patience of the Indian forces was tested to its peak, and the time had come to move from defensive to offensive. "Nabhaḥ Sparsh Dīptam" is the motto of the Indian Air Force, which means "Touch the Sky with Glory."

Fighter jets including the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and Jaguar were locked and loaded with missiles. Their sole intention was to dismantle and blind the Pakistani forces. The goal was to tear holes in their hangars so deep that it would take a year to even attempt repairs, only to eventually fail and require total replacement. The mission was to create craters larger than the grief of those who lost their loved ones and to destroy their aircraft whether they were in the air or still in their hangars. By destroying their air radars, India created blind spots so deep that once the enemy opened their eyes, the only things left to see were ashes, burning jets, and destroyed air bases, a damage that will haunt them forever.

The Strike on the Crown Jewel

The operation began with the crown jewel of Pakistan: Nur Khan Base near Islamabad/Rawalpindi. This base serves as a major headquarters for the Pakistani armed forces and is used for the VIP movements of Pakistani politicians. Before the Pahalgam attacks, EAM Jaishankar had attended the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO there, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance had also landed there for peace talks. Attacking Nur Khan carried the same significance as an attack on Palam Air Base. The strike devastated a large complex including several hardened hangars, the operations room, and fuel trucks. Two NG-MMCCs (AI-based decision support systems built with Türkiye) and at least one IL-78 Midas mid-air refueling tanker were neutralized.

Karachi and the Fall of the "Eye"

At Bholari in Karachi, a viral photo of a destroyed hangar emerged as a piece of art created by a BrahMos missile. While the larger hangar appeared destroyed from the outside, intelligence surveillance later revealed that the damage went far beyond the roof. Beneath the shield, a Swedish-origin Saab 2000 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) aircraft was struck hard and left in ruins. Losing an AEW&C is like losing an eye for aerial battles.

Neutralizing the F-16s

The Pakistani Air Force has always portrayed their F-16s as the backbone of their air power. These American-made aircraft were ready to fly and enter Indian territory, but before their wheels could even touch the tarmac or their fuel could ignite, Indian missiles struck them at Jacobabad Airbase in the Sindh province. At least three were destroyed, a fact corroborated by Air Chief A.P. Singh.

Burying Ambitions at Murid

Pakistan attempted to overwhelm Indian defenses by sending cheap drones, within which swarm missiles and larger drones were hidden. While Indian Air Defense guns gave a befitting reply, it was time to wipe out the origin. The continuous rain of Indian missiles targeted Murid Air Base in the Chakwal district of Punjab. Approximately ten Chinese-made Wing Loong II UCAVs were destroyed. Aerial views showed several point-like marks, which many initially thought were misses, only to realize that the underground bunkers had been destroyed. The enemy's ambitions were buried forever underground.

SEAD and Air Superiority

While battles are fought with grit, they are also won with logic and technique. Destroying a runway eventually stops jets from taking off. At Rahim Yar Khan base, a hit by either a BrahMos missile or high-explosive PGMs created a massive crater in the main runway, taking Pakistan months to repair. Simultaneously, SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) operations allowed the IAF to find gaps in the Pakistani shield. A Chinese YLC-8E anti-stealth radar, critical for detecting Indian aircraft like the Rafale, was destroyed at the Chunian Air Base. Losing radar at such a critical location blinded the enemy and allowed India to establish complete air superiority.

The Conclusion of Justice

Markaz-e-Taiba (Muridke) and Markaz-e-Subhan Allah (Bahawalpur) were also hit hard. Three deep holes in the roof of the Bahawalpur facility demonstrated the extreme accuracy of the Indian attacks. While the S-400 and Akash missile systems fortified the Indian defense shield, Rafales and Sukhois penetrated deep into Pakistan. Multiple videos shot by Pakistani citizens dismantled the fake claims made by the Pakistani army. The Indian attacks finally brought the adversary to its knees. On May 10th at 17:00 PM, the Pakistani DGMO called the Indian DGMO via the hotline and asked for a ceasefire. The world witnessed what India was capable of doing. Whether in the air, on the ground, in hangars, or underground, the adversary was exposed. Justice was served harder than anyone could have expected.

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