Escalation at the Border: Pakistan's Response to Operation Sindoor
Pakistan's Immediate Reaction: Denial and Threats
In the immediate aftermath of India's pre-dawn strikes on May 7, Pakistan's military was caught off guard - but its officials quickly issued angry denials and threats. The Pakistani Army's media wing claimed that India had "pushed the region toward dangerous war" and vowed to retaliate firmly【12†L fifty-eight-L66】. They also dismissed Indian strike results, insisting that most Indian missiles were intercepted and that there were "no casualties or damage"  - a claim starkly contradicted by the fiery destruction seen on satellite images and by the absence of signals from the once-active terror camps.
By the night of May 7 itself, Pakistan chose to respond asymmetrically - unleashing a campaign of drone and artillery attacks rather than immediate manned air strikes (perhaps to avoid India's superior air force in direct combat).
Waves of Drone Attacks on India
On the nights of May 7-8 and May 8-9, Pakistan launched an unprecedented drone offensive across the LoC and international border:
Over two nights, an estimated 300 to 400 drones were sent across into Indian airspace at various points. These drones were not ordinary surveillance types - many were armed or modified to drop explosives. Initial forensic analysis of downed drones showed they were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, raising eyebrows about foreign supply to Pakistan.
The drones targeted a swath of territory "from Leh in Ladakh to Sir Creek in Gujarat" - essentially the entire western front. Specific locations included 26 intrusion points ranging from Baramulla and Srinagar in Kashmir, through Jammu, Punjab (Ferozepur, Pathankot), to Rajasthan and Gujarat (Barmer, Bhuj) . This was a massive, coordinated incursion clearly planned as retaliation cum provocation.
Pakistan used a devious tactic of flying some drones alongside or shortly after civilian airliners that were landing or taking off in India, hoping India would hesitate to engage and reveal air defense positions. Essentially, they tried to use civilian aircraft as shields for their drones - a dangerous escalation and violation of international aviation norms.
India's air defense systems, however, responded swiftly. The Indian Army and Air Force had anticipated some reaction and had activated air defense units in border states. Surface-to-air missile batteries were on high alert. Over the two nights:
Dozens of Pakistani drones were shot down using a combination of methods. Indian forces used kinetic means (anti-drone gunfire and missiles) as well as non-kinetic means like jamming. Wreckage of drones fell in Indian territory, which provided proof of their origin (many components traced back to Turkish manufacturers).
Not a single strategic target in India was significantly damaged. On one occasion, an armed drone managed to drop an explosive in a border village in Ferozepur, Punjab, injuring a local family - a tragic outcome but limited in scale. Most other drones were neutralized before they could hit anything. Indian officials later said Pakistan's attempts to hit 15 Indian cities on May 8 and 26 locations on May 9 were successfully thwarted.
The psychological impact in India was significant - air raid sirens were sounded in some border areas and civil defense drills were conducted in major cities on government orders. But this also showed India's preparedness; despite the surprise drone swarm tactic, the country remained largely unharmed.
Pakistan's use of drones in such large numbers marked a new form of escalation. It underscored the potential for high-tech conflict, but also Pakistan's willingness to target Indian civilian infrastructure, not just military sites. As India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted, the Pakistani attacks "were targeted at Indian cities and civilian infrastructure in addition to some military targets" - a brazen provocation that India says "constituted escalation".
India's Counter-Response: Strikes on Pakistani Air Bases
Facing these provocations, India did not back down. On the contrary, it expanded Operation Sindoor into a second phase. In the early hours of Saturday, May 10, India carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military targets:
Multiple explosions rocked at least three Pakistani air bases in the pre-dawn hours, including the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi (near Islamabad), Murid Air Base (Punjab), and the Rafiqui Air Base in Punjab's Jhang district. These bases were key nodes from which Pakistan could be launching drones or sheltering fighter jets.
Pakistan's chief military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif admitted India had fired missiles at these bases, though he claimed "most were intercepted". However, local reports and social media in Pakistan indicated that parts of these bases did suffer blasts. Notably, Nur Khan air base (Rawalpindi) - a mere 10 km from Pakistan's capital - experiencing explosions signaled how far India was willing to go in this face-off.
Simultaneously, Indian Army units along the LoC intensified cross-border artillery fire, targeting Pakistani forward posts and launch pads that were believed to have assisted the drone incursions. By May 9 night, Indian forces had conducted "a coordinated fire assault on terrorist launchpads, pulverizing & razing them to cinders" near the LoC. This was announced by the Army's ADGPI with an unusually bold public statement on social media, accompanied by combat footage.
The result was that Pakistan's military infrastructure took a hit and its ability to carry out further drone strikes was blunted. Indian forces even managed to destroy a Pakistani air defense radar during these strikes, according to an Indian Ministry of External Affairs briefing. This radar destruction at one of the bases likely opened gaps in Pakistan's air defense, deterring immediate follow-up attacks.
Pakistan's Attempted Retaliation and Propaganda
Feeling the pressure, Pakistan attempted to hit back the same day (May 10) with more conventional means:
Pakistani artillery shelling intensified on some sectors of the LoC, and there were reports that Pakistan fired a handful of surface-to-surface missiles towards military installations in Indian Punjab and Rajasthan. Pakistan's military even claimed it struck multiple Indian military sites and "critical infrastructure", including power grids. India swiftly denied these claims as "completely false", stating that Pakistan was making "preposterous and outrageous claims instead of owning up to its attacks on civilian areas". Indeed, independent observers saw no evidence of significant damage on the Indian side; Pakistan's statements appeared to be face-saving propaganda.
In one border skirmish incident, Pakistani forces targeted an Indian Border Security Force post with mortars, injuring 8 BSF personnel (as per local media). India evacuated the injured and cautioned Pakistan through hotline messages that further targeting of Indian forces would invite yet more severe retribution.
Throughout May 10, the two sides exchanged fire at select points, but both showed some restraint from targeting major population centers beyond the preceding drone forays. By late morning, as international diplomatic efforts kicked in (detailed in the next article), direct military exchanges began to slow.
A Near Miss with War?
For a span of three nights, India and Pakistan teetered on the brink of wider conflict. Each nation portrayed the other as the aggressor:
India maintained that its strikes were counter-terrorism and that Pakistan's drone and artillery attacks constituted the real escalation. New Delhi highlighted that it deliberately limited its targets to avoid civilians, whereas Pakistan was indiscriminately targeting Indian cities and even religious sites (Vikram Misri noted Pakistani shelling hit near places of worship - gurdwaras, temples - in border areas, calling it a cowardly targeting of civilian morale).
Pakistan insisted it was "retaliating" for India's initial strikes. Officials like Finance Minister (acting Foreign Minister) Ishaq Dar took to media to offer conditional de-escalation: "If they stop this, then we will consider stopping also… but if India attacks again, get ready for our next response.". This implied Pakistan viewed the exchange as somewhat open-ended, depending on India's moves.
By striking Pakistani airbases, India signaled that it was prepared to expand the theater of engagement if provoked further. This was perhaps the most dangerous moment, as direct strikes on each other's military installations carry a risk of full-scale war. Both air forces were on high alert; there were unconfirmed reports of limited dogfights or Pakistani jets scrambling and quickly retreating when locked by India's air defense.
However, neither side crossed certain lines (for instance, no major Pakistani city was struck beyond military targets, and Pakistan did not target major Indian metros). This indicates a calibrated escalation - a high-stakes game of chicken where both sides demonstrated resolve but also a degree of caution knowing the nuclear backdrop.
In summary, Pakistan's response to Operation Sindoor involved a novel drone warfare campaign and cross-border attacks, which India met with further force. The exchange showcased India's robust defensive measures and willingness to up the ante by hitting Pakistani soil again when faced with continued aggression. It was a dangerous escalation that prompted urgent international attention, which we will explore next.