“Kill them, kill them—don’t let them enter even an inch into Pakistan’s airspace.” These were the words of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, addressing pilots of the 15 Squadron live over radio during a combat mission on the morning of May 7— the same unit he once commanded.
Inside one of Pakistan Air Force’s most secure and classified command centers, as visuals of Indian Rafael jets being targeted in the Bathinda region appeared on the screen, the room erupted with chants of “Allahu Akbar.”
This moment marked the peak of rapidly escalating tensions between two nuclear-armed nations. Following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22—blamed on Pakistan—PAF had remained on high alert.
Operational sources informed The News that the Air Chief personally took command of the situation, working from the classified neuro-center without sleep for four consecutive days. According to senior officers and operational logs, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu convened top leadership on May 6 after receiving credible intelligence about an impending Indian air operation.
Sensing imminent conflict, Pakistan immediately shifted from surveillance to active defense. The night of May 6 and 7 proved decisive.
According to Pakistani defense sources, India launched 80 aircraft from at least 12 airbases—including 32 Rafael jets, 30 SU-30s equipped with BrahMos missiles, and various MiGs. In response, Pakistan deployed around 40 J-10s and other Chinese-made fighter jets, now considered the backbone of its air defense.
Indian jets made several attempts to breach Pakistani airspace but were repelled. However, after missile strikes targeted civilian facilities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Sheikhupura, Pakistan initiated “Offensive Counter Air Operations.” Once an Indian missile entered Pakistani airspace, the Air Chief authorized a full retaliatory strike.
In the ensuing dogfight, five Indian aircraft were shot down—three Rafael jets, one MiG-29, and one SU-30. As confirmations of the kills came through, the command center witnessed a surge of national and religious fervor.
But the conflict didn’t end there. On May 9 and 10, Pakistan launched a new phase of retaliation under the strategy “Operation Banyan-ul-Marsous” (Arabic for “Iron Wall”), with a core principle of “establishing peace through force”—delivering decisive yet limited damage to halt escalation, while avoiding civilian casualties.
According to sources, national leadership approved the counteroffensive based on timing and scope. Only Indian military targets involved in aggression were hit; civilian areas were completely avoided.
In just 5 to 6 hours, the PAF struck 26 targets, including 15 airbases, in direct response to Indian attacks on three Pakistani airbases. Every mission—from takeoff to missile launch and safe return—was personally monitored by Air Chief Marshal Sidhu from the command center.
This operation was not limited to aerial warfare. It incorporated cyber, space, and electronic warfare tactics that severely disrupted India’s communication, targeting systems, and warning networks. These actions were executed with high coordination among all three branches of Pakistan’s armed forces.
Through precise targeting, command excellence, and strategic capability, the Pakistan Air Force not only demonstrated its military superiority but also highlighted the combat effectiveness of its Chinese-built fighter jets—challenging longstanding Western and American dominance in global military aviation.
This campaign has redefined Pakistan’s role in emerging aerospace systems with new confidence, credibility, and recognition on the world stage.
