Indo-Pak war 2025: Pakistan has the last laugh
In the early hours following India's unprovoked attack, Pakistan's Armed Forces launched a calibrated response - code-named Operation Bunyanum Marsoos - one that not only neutralised incoming threats and gripped the world's attention instantly, but also sent a clear message to New Delhi the skies above Pakistan would not be ceded to aggression or violations of national sovereignty.
What unfolded was not just a military response, but a moment of rare operational clarity - drones intercepted, air dominance reasserted, and command over the slaloming narrative of victory, being spun by India's media apparatus loyal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reclaimed with measured confidence - all in one fell swoop, under the banner of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.
Behind the scenes, coordination between the Pakistan Air Force, Army, and Navy ensured the response was not only proportional, but tactically above India's capabilities. The military's top brass, appearing in a rare tri-services media briefing, conveyed calm precision - a sharp contrast to their visibly tense Indian counterparts, who, hours later, struggled to account for the precise outcome in both numbers and detail before a press corps that had largely toed the government's narrative throughout the escalation - one triggered by a barrage of Indian missiles and breaches, but concluded by Pakistan's response.
For Pakistan, what began as a military counter quickly transformed into a full-spectrum show of force. Its retaliatory strikes targeted not just Indian troop concentrations and air assets, but the very spine of India's operational command - from missile silos to drone fleets, air defence shields to digital firewalls.
At Beas and Nagrota - sites used to launch attacks on Pakistan that killed over 30 people - BrahMos storage facilities were reduced to ashes. In Udhampur, security officials from Pakistan revealed, India's prized S-400 air defence systems - the crown jewel of its aerial shield - were obliterated in minutes. Pathankot Airbase, long considered a frontline launchpad, they confirmed, was rendered inoperative, its runways crumpled and hangars charred. The logistics hub in Jalandhar came under sustained precision fire, triggering secondary explosions and cutting off crucial supply chains.
According to officials, by the time Pakistan's strikes reached Nagrota, Akhnoor and Uri, the writing was on the wall of India – not only would aggression be met with force, but its military calculus had evolved - leaner, faster, and digitally lethal.
Assault on Srinagar's Northern Command HQ - which left over 21 confirmed dead, officials said, sent shockwaves through India's northern military belt. Chandigarh's weapons depot and communications grid were similarly compromised, as was the airfield at Suratgarh, pushing Indian Air Force operations into retreat.
Even India's prized Rafale jets - long sold to the world as emblems of assured air supremacy - failed to turn the tide. According to multiple foreign media outlets, including CNN, three of these jets were shot down across the Sialkot, Lahore and Kashmir sectors.
As Operation Bunyanum Marsoos continued, it also chipped away at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) official narrative, stirring unease within Prime Minister Modi's inner circle. Meanwhile, news of destruction from Pakistan’s retaliation spread widely, prompting authorities to block over 8,000 social media accounts, including BBC Urdu, by executive order.
Speaking to Al Jazeera about the damage caused by Pakistan's retaliatory strikes, Shashank Jo