Counterattack launched: Pakistan accuses India of attacks on air bases

Pakistan accuses India of attacks on air bases
10.05.2025, 02:56 Reading time: 2 min.
The conflict between India and Pakistan appears to be escalating further. Indian fighter jets have reportedly attacked several military bases in the neighboring country. A counterattack is apparently underway.

Pakistan has accused its neighbor India of missile attacks on several military bases and launched a counterattack. The Pakistani government announced overnight that attacks on three military bases in Punjab province had been repelled without any casualties or damage. The military then launched "Operation Bunjan." According to Pakistani state media, several Indian military targets were hit and destroyed. There was initially no official confirmation from the other side.

Explosions had previously been reported from several cities in Pakistan. According to the army, individual missiles fired by Indian fighter jets overcame air defenses but caused no damage. "Every inch of our homeland is defended," the Pakistani government announced on Platform X. India was clearly willing to continue its "aggression" – and the Pakistani armed forces were equipped to defend the country's security.

Previously, the Indian side had reported another night of Pakistani drone attacks in the north and west of the world's most populous country. According to the report, two members of a family were seriously injured in a combat drone attack in civilian areas.

Airspace over Pakistan closed

The airspace over Pakistan was closed to aircraft from 3:15 a.m. (local time; 12:15 a.m. CEST) until 12 noon today, several media outlets reported, citing the national aviation authority. According to Indian media, civil flight operations at 32 airports in northern and western India had previously been suspended by order of the authorities until next Wednesday.

On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Defense Minister, National Security Advisor, and the Army leadership for consultations. The results of the consultations were not disclosed.

G-7 countries warn of further escalation

The G7 group of leading industrialized nations called on both parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue. "Further military escalation poses a serious threat to the stability of the region. We are deeply concerned about the safety of civilians on both sides," said a statement from the group, which includes Germany, the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief.

India's attacks are seen as a response to a terrorist attack on April 22 in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed – most of them Indian tourists. The Indian government accuses Pakistan of involvement, a claim the leadership in Islamabad denies. The border region of Kashmir is also a perennial source of conflict between the two sides. The region is divided between Pakistan and India, but both lay claim to the territory.