Operation Sindoor: How Indian Air Force grounded Pakistan's air power

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF), in a precision-led campaign between May 8 to 10, had conducted strikes on 11 military air bases across Pakistan. The satellite images of the strikes showed extensive damage caused to the neighbouring nation.The bases hit included Nur Khan (Chaklala), Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad. These sites were chosen for their operational importance, including drone warfare command centres, air defence nodes, and aircraft deployment hubs.Earlier on Sunday, in a rare joint press briefing by all three defence services, Air Marshal AK Bharti emphasized that the Indian response was deliberately focused on high-value targets. “A decision was taken to strike where it would hurt,” he said, outlining how Indian forces carried out a swift, coordinated, and calibrated assault on key Pakistani military infrastructure.The targets included airbases at Chaklala, Rafiq, and Rahim Yar Khan, followed by strikes on Sargodha, Bhulari, and Jacobabad. These strikes, Bharti added, were meant to send a clear message: “Aggression will not be tolerated.”Bharti also confirmed that the Indian Air Force thwarted an attempted breach of Indian airspace by Pakistani fighter jets following India’s cross-border counterterror strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’.“Their planes were prevented from entering our borders. We have definitely downed a few planes and inflicted losses on their side,” Bharti said, assuring that all Indian pilots involved in the operation had returned safely.The briefing came as all three wings of India’s armed forces shed light on Operation Sindoor, the large-scale military response launched on May 7 following the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people.Some of the images of the strikes are as follows:SargodhaNow called Mushaf air base, it suffered air damage in indian strikes. It's the Command Headquarters of PAF and is home to various squadrons of F-16, JF-16, and Mirage 5A. Chaklala Airfield (NUR KHAN)The most significant target, previously known as Chaklala, located in Rawalpindi. It serves as the nerve centre for Pakistan's Air Mobility Command and houses its Saab Erieye airborne early warning systems, C-130 transporters, and IL-78 refuelling aircraft.Rafiqui Previously known as PAF Base Shorkot, it is a PAF airbase located near Shorkot, Jhang district, in Punjab province of Pakistan and is located at around 337 km south of Islamabad. Mirages and J-17s acquired from China are stationed. Murid It is an operational flying base of Sialkot Pakistan Air Force located near the village of Murid in Chakwal district of Punjab. It houses the UCAV and UAV fleet of the PAF, including Turkiye-made Bayraktar TB2s and Shahpar-I. It also has facilities for pilot training and air surveillance.Sukkur This is located in Jamshoro district of Sindh, between Karachi and Hyderabad. Home to F-16, J-17 and drones. Inaugurated in 2017, it was opened with the aim to strengthen Pakistani defence forces along the coastline in Karachi.Rahim Yar KhanIt is located near Rahim Yar Khan city in south Punjab in Pakistan. The base is strategically located for rapid deployment and operations across eastern and southern Pakistan. It's close to Sheikh Zayed International Airport and is home to Chinese J-series jets, Mirages and drones. A missile reportedly created a large crater in its runway.