Lahore, May 10 — In a dramatic escalation of military tensions, Pakistan on Saturday claimed that three of its air bases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones, prompting a swift retaliatory response under a military operation codenamed "Bunyan al-Marsous" or "Iron Wall".
At a press conference held at around 4 am in Islamabad, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said the Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot) air bases had come under attack. While asserting that India used air-to-surface missiles launched by fighter jets, he also stated that "all assets of the Air Force remain safe."
Shortly after the statement, state-run broadcaster PTV, citing security officials, announced that Pakistan had launched Operation Bunyan al-Marsous, reportedly involving medium-range Fateh-1 missiles aimed at unspecified targets in India.
Pakistan’s Defence Posture and Response
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, after speaking with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated on Geo News that Pakistan’s military actions were defensive.Lt Gen Chaudhry further claimed that Pakistan’s air defence systems successfully intercepted several missiles, minimizing potential damage.
Later, government sources alleged that the Sheikh Zayed International Airport in Rahim Yar Khan, approximately 400 km from Lahore, sustained damage, with a video circulating online showing the aftermath. Officials also accused India of attempting a drone strike on Nankana Sahib, a claim India strongly denied.
India has consistently maintained that no civilian infrastructure has been targeted in its military operations.
High-Level Security Meeting and Airspace Closure
In response to the developments, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an urgent meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees Pakistan's strategic and security affairs. The meeting is expected to include top civil and military leaders.Additionally, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), declaring the closure of national airspace from 3:15 am to 12 noon for all civilian air traffic.
Background to Escalation
The latest hostilities follow India’s precision airstrikes on Wednesday that targeted terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which Indian authorities have linked to cross-border terrorist networks.In response, Pakistan launched drone attacks on 26 Indian locations—spanning Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat—for the second consecutive night on Friday. India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that its security forces had successfully thwarted all major threats, including attempted strikes on strategic airbases and civilian airports.
On Thursday evening, Indian defence sources said that at least eight missiles launched by Pakistan were intercepted near Jammu, including those targeting the Jammu airport, a critical military and civilian installation.
