‘80 Drones In 36 Hours’: Pakistan Admits Indian Strike Hit Nur Khan Air Base

Pakistan has officially accepted that India’s military strikes during Operation Sindoor caused damage to its Nur Khan Air Base. This admission comes months after the operation was carried out in May, following the April terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed.

Pakistan Confirms Damage

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, said that Indian drones struck the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala area. Speaking at a press briefing, he admitted that the attack damaged the base and injured military personnel.

Dar said India sent around 80 drones into Pakistan within 36 hours. According to him, Pakistani forces shot down 79 drones, but one managed to hit a military target and caused injuries.

He also said that Pakistan’s top civil and military leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, held an emergency meeting on the night of May 9. Dar admitted that India attacked the Nur Khan Air Base again in the early hours of May 10.

Several Air Bases Targeted

Nur Khan Air Base is one of Pakistan’s most important air force bases. It was among 11 air bases targeted by India during Operation Sindoor. Other bases hit were located in Sargodha, Rafiqui, Jacobabad, and Muridke.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. In the first phase, India targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Later, Indian forces carried out strikes on major military bases.

India Rejects ‘Minor Damage’ Claim

Former Indian Army officer Lieutenant General (Retd) KJS Dhillon rejected Pakistan’s claim that the damage was small. He said Pakistan was hiding the real scale of destruction.

Dhillon pointed to reports from Pakistani media, saying that 138 people were given gallantry awards after Operation Sindoor, many of them posthumously. He said this suggests much higher casualties than Pakistan has admitted.

He also referred to videos shared by local people showing the Nur Khan Air Base on fire, claiming that all 11 targeted bases suffered serious damage.

Earlier Admissions and Satellite Images

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier confirmed the Indian strike. He said Army chief General Asim Munir informed him about the attack during the night of May 9–10.

In July, Sharif’s adviser Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan had only 30–45 seconds to check whether an incoming Indian missile was nuclear.

Satellite images taken in May reportedly showed heavy damage at several Pakistani air bases, including Nur Khan, Mushaf (Sargodha), Bholari, and Shahbaz (Jacobabad). Pakistan had also admitted on May 10 that Indian missiles and drones hit three of its air bases—Nur Khan, Muridke, and Rafiqui.