Pakistan and India strike at each other’s strategic targets

The armies of India and Pakistan have exchanged missile strikes on each other’s strategic targets. Pakistan has convened the body that controls its nuclear arsenal.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 10, the Pakistani government announced the launch of a large-scale military operation called “Banyan Tree” (Strong Wall) against India, calling it a “response to aggression.”

This happened an hour after the Pakistani army spokesman, General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, accused India of a missile attack on three Pakistani air bases, including Noor Khan.

Noor Khan Air Base is located in Rawalpindi, about 10 km from the Pakistani capital Islamabad, and serves as the headquarters of the country’s military command.

Eyewitnesses recorded Indian cruise missile strikes on this base, where aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force were stationed.

Soon after, the official channel of the Pakistani army announced the destruction of the BrahMos supersonic missile depot in the city of Beas, as well as strikes on the Indian air bases of Udhampur in the Indian part of Kashmir and Pathankot in the state of Punjab.

It was claimed that 25 targets had been hit in India, including the S-400 system in Adampur. The Indian military called these claims unfounded.

The Pakistani military also demonstrated the use of 155 mm caliber SH-15 wheeled artillery systems and Fatah-1 multiple launch rocket systems with high-precision missiles.

The Indian authorities, in turn, issued a statement of readiness to respond to new attacks.

“Unprovoked Pakistani drone and missile strikes on India have provoked a strong military response,” the Indian government said in an official statement released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Later, the Indian military called Pakistan’s actions an “escalation” and reported drone strikes along the border, as well as the elimination of several drones in the skies over the city of Amritsar in the border state of Punjab. Pakistan has also reported the use of attack drones by India.

In addition, the Prime Minister of Pakistan convened a meeting of the National Command Authority, which controls the country’s nuclear arsenal. The National Command Authority is the highest coordinating body comprised of civilian and military officials who make key security decisions, including the use of nuclear weapons. In turn, the Indian government has authorized the Chief of the Army Staff to conscript a territorial army to reinforce the regular armed forces. The decision was made against the backdrop of the conflict with Pakistan.