Indian Counterattack After Pakistani Missile Attack
India had answered the latest acts of hostility on Pakistan by deploying a strategic and targeted counterstrike in the initial hours of Saturday morning. It was in the wake of Pakistan's bid to launch a missile attack that would target points as far away as Srinagar to Nalia. India's Air Defense platform, particularly the S-400, had successfully shot down all the approaching Fateh-11 ballistic missiles as well as drones.
BrahMos Missiles at the Core of Counterattack
As a counterattack, India used sophisticated weapons such as BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, guided ammunition, and loitering ammunition. Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft conducted the launch of the BrahMos missiles that struck strategic military facilities in Pakistan.
Pakistani Air Bases Destroyed
A number of valuable airbases in Pakistan have been destroyed. They are:
- Rafiki Air Base (Punjab) – Famous for its expansive 10,000-foot runway and emergency landing infrastructure.
- Mureed Air Base (Chakwal, Punjab) – Accommodates unmanned combat drones.
- Nur Khan Air Base (Chaklala, Rawalpindi) – A strategic military base close to Islamabad; also the location of the Pakistani Army Chief's headquarters.
- Rahimyar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Parsur, and Sialkot – Other bases reported to have been hit.
Nur Khan Air Base Importance
The Nur Khan Air Base is located close to Rawalpindi, where the military operations of Pakistan are centrally controlled. Even though Islamabad is the capital, defense-related policies are mostly formulated here, particularly in the Chaklala district.
Impact on Pakistani Military Reaction
The bombing of command and air defense facilities seems to have weakened the Pakistani military. Lacking their nuclear weapons air defense, experts opine that it was hard for Pakistan to deploy or secure its nuclear weapons. Experts have pointed out that this would have forced Pakistan to accept a ceasefire by Saturday afternoon.
