Operation Sindoor: 9 Pakistani Aircraft, Over 10 Drones Destroyed in Indian Retaliatory Strikes

A post-conflict assessment of Operation Sindoor, India’s military retaliation following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, has revealed significant destruction of Pakistani aerial and ground assets, according to top security sources.

Among the assets neutralized were:

6 Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets

2 high-value surveillance aircraft

Over 10 armed drones

1 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft

Jet Losses in Air-to-Air Combat

The six Pakistani fighter jets were shot down during high-stakes aerial engagements over Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Indian air defense units tracked and engaged the jets using radar and thermal imaging, confirming their destruction.

High-Value Surveillance Aircraft Targeted

Two critical airborne surveillance platforms were eliminated. One, believed to be an electronic countermeasure (ECM) or Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft, was hit at a range of nearly 300 km using India's long-range Sudarshan strike system.

A second AEW&C aircraft, reportedly Swedish-origin and based at Pakistan’s Bholari airbase, was destroyed in a separate air-to-surface missile strike. Satellite imagery confirmed the total destruction of its hangar.

C-130 Transport Aircraft Eliminated

A PAF C-130 Hercules, used for logistics, was destroyed in a drone strike while parked at a forward base near Multan. The strike was part of a broader operation targeting logistics infrastructure.

Drone Hangar Annihilated

In a joint operation using Rafale and Su-30 jets, Indian forces struck a hangar storing Chinese-origin Wing Loong drones, neutralizing more than ten UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles).

Additionally, several Pakistani drones were intercepted and shot down by Indian air defense systems over Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.

Extended Strike Reach Revealed

New revelations from a leaked Pakistani military dossier—codenamed Operation Bunyan un Marsoos—highlight the extensive reach of India’s retaliation. Indian airstrikes reportedly hit facilities in:

Peshawar

Jhang

Hyderabad (Sindh)

Gujrat (Punjab)

Bahawalnagar

Attock

Chor

These targets included both military and dual-use infrastructure, indicating a broader and deeper penetration into Pakistani territory than previously acknowledged.

Initial Targets and Satellite Confirmation

The Indian strike campaign began on the night of May 6-7, focusing initially on terror infrastructure. Primary targets included:

Jaish-e-Mohammed HQ in Bahawalpur

Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muridke

Multiple camps in PoJK, including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, Bhimber, and Chakwal

Satellite images from Maxar Technologies show heavy damage to these locations, particularly militant training facilities.

Officials clarified that initial Indian strikes were limited to anti-terror objectives, and only escalated to targeting Pakistani military installations after Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks on Indian civilian and military targets.