Pakistan begins counter-offensive against India, with Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, as tensions escalate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
By Joe D. May 10, 2025
The Pakistani military has verified the start of retaliation strikes under Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos in the most recent turn of the rising crisis between India and Pakistan, following India’s missile attacks on vital Pakistani military locations. With both sides engaging forceful military activities, the two nuclear-armed nations have now entered one of the most perilous stages of their long-standing conflict.
Early Saturday, Pakistan’s military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry verified Indian fighter planes had launched six surface-to-air missiles aimed at some of Pakistan’s most vital military locations, including Nur Khan, Murid, and Shorkot. Though the attacks represented a major intensification of the conflict, which has already claimed lives and infrastructure, Pakistan’s air defense system effectively shot down most of these missiles.
Pakistan started its counter-attack in reaction, claiming to have struck multiple Indian military locations including the Pathankot military airfield in Punjab, Udhampur air force base in Indian-administered Kashmir, and a BrahMos missile storage facility. Everywhere around the targeted sites, explosions and anti-aircraft firing could be heard. The Pakistani airstrikes came just hours after India had launched missile strikes in response for earlier drone assaults purportedly carried out by Pakistan.
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A Quick Retaliation to Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos
A direct reaction to India’s missile attack on its military sites, Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos—meaning “wall of lead”. The operation emphasizes Pakistan’s dedication to protect its sovereignty, especially in the face of what it calls an unprovoked assault on its military assets.
Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan underlined that particular steps had been taken to prevent civilian deaths in India, saying, “We would hate to see the nuclear threshold being breached.” He made it clear, moreover, that the reprisal targeted only military objectives allegedly utilized to start assaults on Pakistan. With both parties endangering more escalation in an already unstable area, Pakistan’s plan to strike military sites in Punjab and Indian-administered Kashmir indicates the seriousness of the situation.
The Pakistani Prime Minister called a meeting of the National Command Authority, which manages the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile, following the launch of Pakistan’s counter-strikes. The talks at this summit underline even more the seriousness of the scenario and the possible consequences of a nuclear conflict.
Military Tensions, Drones, and Missiles: The Growing Threat
This latest escalation followed a series of confrontations between the two countries including missile strikes and drone operations on military bases and civilian areas. India’s military ministry stated its troops were on high alert, closely monitoring any aircraft threats from Pakistan.
The Indian army had earlier claimed that Pakistan had sent a wave of drone strikes over 26 sites in India, including military stations and civilian infrastructure in Punjab and Kashmir. Though India said most of the drones were intercepted, Ferozepur area of Punjab saw injuries to certain people. The rising frequency of drone strikes signals a new phase in the India-Pakistan conflict, where military and strategic usage of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is becoming more common.
India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the drone strikes from Pakistan targeted Christian churches and gurdwaras (Sikh temples), hence increasing the stakes of the already difficult scenario. Misri denounced the assaults as assaults on holy sites, therefore aggravating the conflict between the two nations.
Diplomatic Initiatives and Global Responses
Several world countries have voiced worry about the growing tensions between India and Pakistan as international responses to the intensifying war have been quick. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement urging all sides to refrain from more military action and to give peaceful negotiations first priority, so appealing for patience and diplomatic communication.
Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, underlined that reaction was required following India’s ongoing hostility in spite of appeals for peace. Dar condemned India for lacking seriousness in its diplomatic attempts and said Pakistan has no choice but to react militararily.
Particularly if nuclear weapons are involved, there is increasing worry about the possibility of more escalation as both nations keep trading missile fire and drone operations. Nuclear weapons on both sides have increased a hazardous dimension to an already delicate geopolitical scenario.
Nuclear escalation: a looming danger
The possibility of breaching the nuclear threshold stays a major issue as both nations conduct military operations. The National Command Authority meeting in Pakistan, which covers decisions about the control and use of nuclear weapons, reflects the degree of anxiety surrounding the conflict. Both sides have nuclear weapons; although neither has said a desire to use them, the danger of miscalculation is great given the severe military interactions.
Military analyst and former Indian Army officer Colonel Rajesh Sharma said that if one side feels an existential danger, the situation could spin out of control. “Nuclear weapons are an absolute last resort; yet, in such unstable circumstances the danger of miscalculation is always present,” Sharma stated. The part of the world in promoting de-escalation has never been more important.
Looking Forward: The Road Ahead for Pakistan and India
Both countries caught in a perilous cycle of armed retribution keep the India-Pakistan relationship very unstable. Several elements will determine the destiny of this conflict: the capacity of international diplomatic attempts to broker peace and the readiness of both countries to lower military provocations.
The world will be watching intently in the next days to see whether diplomatic channels can emerge or whether the situation will deteriorate more into full-scale conflict. The stakes could not be higher with nuclear weapons involved.
