Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has admitted that the Pakistani armed forces were caught unawares when India struck several airbases across the country on the intervening night of May 9-10. While speaking at an event in Azerbaijan, Sharif admitted the airbase in Rawalpindi was among the several sites that were targeted by India using the BrahMos missile.
The Pakistan PM revealed that the Pakistani Army wanted to launch strikes on India on May 10 after morning prayers but Indian BrahMos missiles rained down before that, inflicting damage on the airbases.
“On the night of May 9-10, we decided to respond in a measured fashion to Indian aggression. Our armed forces were prepared to act at 4.30 in the morning after Fajr prayers to teach a lesson. But before that hour even arrived, India once again launched a missile attack using BrahMos, targeting various provinces of Pakistan, including the airport in Rawalpindi,” Sharif said during his speech in Lachin.
On May 10th, Pakistan had planned an attack on India at 4:30AM to “teach the enemy a lesson” but before that could happen, India launched BrahMos strikes across Pak’s provinces including the Rawalpindi airbase — Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif. This is Bunyan for you. Munir promoted… pic.twitter.com/kbrcLvFYVn
— Shubhangi Sharma (@ItsShubhangi) May 29, 2025
Sharif further added that he was informed about the strikes by Army Chief Asim Munir, who has now been promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.
This is the second time that PM Sharif has thrown light on the gravity of the Indian retaliatory strikes on Pakistani airbases.
Earlier this month, while addressing a crowd in Pakistan, Sharif revealed that Asim Munir informed him about the attack on the Nur Khan Air Base and other strategic targets at 2:30 am on May 10.
India targeted 11 Pakistani military sites, including the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, in retaliation for Pakistan’s drone and missile attacks on civilian areas along the western border.
Located near the Pakistan Army Headquarters, Nur Khan houses advanced aircraft like the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Ilyushin Il-78 refuellers. Satellite imagery confirms damage to at least two military transport vehicles at the base.
Other targeted bases included Rafiqui, Murid, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad, and Sargodha, all sustaining significant damage.
According to reports, India deployed approximately 15 BrahMos missiles from Su-30MKI jets for precise strikes, verified by satellite imagery. These “fire and forget” missiles, developed with Russia, evaded Pakistan’s Chinese-made air defence systems and can hit targets up to 300 km away.