ISLAMABAD (Realist English). Pakistan has launched a retaliatory military operation, Bunyan-un-Marsoos, following early morning missile attacks by India on key air force bases. The announcement was made on May 11 by Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, during a press briefing in Islamabad.
According to Gen. Chaudhry, the Indian strikes occurred around 3:30 a.m. and targeted three major Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases: Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang district). He confirmed that the majority of Indian missiles were intercepted, while others failed to reach their targets. No casualties or equipment damage were reported.
At 4:38 a.m., state broadcaster PTV News reported the launch of Pakistan’s counter-operation. By 5:52 a.m., the Pakistani military had conducted missile strikes on a BrahMos missile depot near Beas, as well as on airbases in Udhampur and Pathankot. Later, PTV announced that a hypersonic missile launched from a JF-17 Thunder jet had destroyed an Indian S-400 air defense system in Adampur.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated: “Pakistan had no choice. We endured, but the strike on Nur Khan airbase was the point of no return.” He emphasized that Pakistan is acting in self-defense and will not allow India to dictate regional terms.
Senator Sherry Rehman clarified that Pakistan’s strikes were targeted exclusively at military infrastructure: “Unlike India, we are not attacking civilians.”
Simultaneously, PTV News reported a large-scale cyberattack allegedly carried out by Pakistani entities. The attacks reportedly compromised websites belonging to India’s Ministry of Defence, the Air Force, Maharashtra’s electoral commission, telecom firms, and over 2,500 surveillance cameras. Leaked materials are said to include sensitive data related to identification systems and the defense industry.
Indian officials have yet to issue a detailed response, though The Times of India reported explosions in the Pathankot area around 5 a.m. and a blackout imposed in the city during the night.
- Bunyan-un-Marsoos is Pakistan’s largest military action against India in over two decades.
- Islamabad has, for the first time, officially acknowledged use of hypersonic missiles, cyberweapons, and the destruction of an Indian S-400 system.
- The conflict has entered a multi-domain phase involving missiles, drones, cyberattacks, and information warfare.
Pakistan’s response marks a significant escalation in both capability and intent. The conflict has clearly moved beyond the stage of calibrated deterrence. With no active mediators or international response so far, its trajectory now rests solely on the political resolve of both governments — and their willingness to pull back before the next threshold is crossed.
