In a dramatic escalation of the India-Pakistan military standoff, Indian air defence systems on Friday night intercepted and destroyed a long-range Fatah-II ballistic missile launched from Pakistan, which was reportedly targeting the national capital, New Delhi.
The missile was neutralised over Sirsa, Haryana, marking the most severe confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations in recent years.
The attack was part of Pakistan’s newly launched military campaign, Operation Bunyanun Marsoos — meaning “Concrete Structure” — which includes missile strikes, drone incursions, and cross-border shelling. The missile launch followed a series of aggressive drone attacks by Pakistan that targeted at least 26 locations across India, from Jammu & Kashmir to Gujarat.
The missile shot down over Indian airspace was confirmed to be the Fatah-II, Pakistan’s latest precision-guided surface-to-surface missile with a range of up to 400 kilometres. Equipped with an advanced guidance system and low flight trajectory to evade radar, the Fatah-II poses a new challenge to regional security.
Its deployment against a densely populated city like Delhi signals a troubling shift in Pakistan’s military strategy and is being seen in India as a red line being crossed.
In a powerful counterattack, India launched coordinated air and drone strikes deep inside Pakistani territory, targeting three key airbases:
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Nur Khan Airbase (Rawalpindi)
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Rafiqi Airbase (Shorkot, Punjab)
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Murid Airbase (Chakwal)
Pakistani military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the Nur Khan and Rafiqi bases were hit, claiming “limited” damage while warning of a “measured but strong” response.
Indian border states — Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh — have been placed on high alert, with mass evacuations, blackouts, and suspension of civil aviation in effect across the region. Schools, government offices, and major transport links within 100 km of the border have been closed.
In Punjab’s Ferozpur, at least one drone attack caused civilian injuries — the first reported casualties on the Indian side.
This marks the first known attempt by Pakistan to directly target the Indian capital with a long-range ballistic missile, drawing alarm across Indian political and defence circles. The Indian government has yet to issue a formal statement but confirmed that all airbases are secure and promised to respond with “full force” to any threats to national sovereignty.
