Islamabad: In a significant development amid rising hostilities, Pakistan has effectively acknowledged that one of its key air bases sustained damage following targeted strikes by Indian forces. The admission came during a press briefing held early Saturday, where Pakistan military officials confirmed that air bases in Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot) were struck by Indian missiles and drones.
While Pakistani officials initially claimed all assets remained unharmed, later statements and reports from state-run media painted a different picture. Footage aired on PTV and circulating on social media showed visible damage at the Sheikh Zayed International Airport in Rahim Yar Khan, a military-civilian shared facility, confirming that strategic infrastructure had indeed been hit.
Pakistan also launched a retaliatory operation titled “Bunyan al-Marsous” (Iron Wall), deploying Fateh-1 medium-range missiles, underscoring the severity of the situation. Officials claimed these missiles were aimed at Indian military positions in response to what they termed a breach of national sovereignty.
Despite Pakistan’s insistence that its air defence intercepted multiple missiles, its public acknowledgment of damage to strategic locations marks a rare instance of transparency in a conflict zone often shrouded in conflicting narratives.
India, on the other hand, reiterated that its operations were precise and limited to neutralizing terror launchpads and military infrastructure, avoiding civilian harm.
