Revision as of 11:02, 23 May 2025

Targets in Pakistan by Damien Symon on X
Two days after the ceasefire, Damien Symon captioned this map, “From India's latest briefing on Operation Sindoor, here is an updated list of military/terror-affiliated sites targeted by New Delhi in Pakistan, some over 165-km inside”

“Pakistan has faced huge losses,” wrote Global UPDATES, also two days after the ceasefire

Two maps from international sources

Briefly

Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, 2025, and paused on May 10, 2025, was a military offensive targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). It was a direct response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 25 Indians and 1 Nepali citizen. The attack was attributed to Pakistan-based terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, prompting India to act decisively to neutralize the threat.

The operation involved high-precision, multi-domain strikes, as described by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), marking a strategic evolution in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine. The Indian Armed Forces, including the Air Force, executed the operation, targeting nine terrorist camps in locations like Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Muzaffarabad, according to a statement from Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army reported on May 7, 2025.

The Indian Air Force confirmed on May 11, 2025, via NDTV, that it had “successfully executed its assigned tasks.” Intelligence revealed 21 terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK, with Operation Sindoor neutralizing 100 terrorists, per a YouTube video detailing five key facts about the operation. However, the government noted on May 8, 2025, via ANI on X, that the operation was ongoing, making exact casualty figures hard to confirm, with over 100 terrorists killed at that point.

India employed advanced weaponry, including BrahMos missiles, as highlighted in a YouTube live report by Palki Sharma and a May 11, 2025, statement from Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on X, where he emphasized the missile’s impact, suggesting Pakistan could attest to its power. At least eight key facilities were hit using precision weapons.

The operation’s name, “Sindoor,” carries symbolic weight. A New York Times article from May 7, 2025, notes that it evokes the memory of women who became symbols of grief following a terrorist attack, referencing the Pahalgam incident’s emotional toll. Sindoor, a vermilion powder used in Hindu tradition to signify marriage and protection.

Politically, Operation Sindoor achieved multiple objectives, as outlined in a May 11, 2025, ANI post on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the operation met its military goal by destroying key terror camps. It also pursued a political objective by linking the Indus Water Treaty to cross-border terrorism, signalling potential economic repercussions for Pakistan.

Modi’s address emphasized that the operation was halted but not concluded, with a clear message of zero tolerance for terrorism. Modi’s speech on May 12, 2025, reported by The Economic Times, framed the operation as India’s new policy against terror, reinforcing a hardline stance.

The operation garnered mixed international reactions. A May 9, 2025, article in The Hindu noted that most world capitals saw India’s actions as expected, given the Pahalgam attack’s severity, though specific responses weren’t detailed. A ceasefire between India and Pakistan was declared on May 10, 2025. The Times of India reported on May 11, 2025, that Operation Sindoor continued in a “new normal,” suggesting ongoing low-level operations despite the truce.

Domestically, the operation stirred national pride and reflection. A May 13, 2025, post by @ARanganathan72 on X mourned five Indian soldiers who died during the operation, underscoring the human cost.

The operation also sparked an information war, with Pakistani citizens sharing videos of missile strikes, as noted in an Instagram post by India Today on May 6, 2025.

Operation Sindoor highlights India’s shift toward proactive, intelligence-driven counter-terrorism, leveraging advanced technology and symbolic messaging.

After Pahalgam massacre, India hits 9 terrorist bases

May 7, 2025: The Times of India

New Delhi: A fortnight after terrorists gunned down 26 civilians in J&K’s Pahalgam, Indian forces struck at terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir early Wednesday, saying they had lived up to the “commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held responsible”.


“A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” govt said in a statement early Wednesday. “Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”


Multiple loud explosions were heard in several places in Pakistan and POK on Wednesday, Reuters reported. After the explosions, power was blacked out in Muzaffarabad, witnesses said. A spokesman for Pakistan's military told broadcaster ARY that India had attacked Pakistan with missiles in three places and that Pakistan would respond. Pakistan has vowed to retaliate against India attacks at “time and place of its own choosing”, military said , reports AFP. TNN & AGENCIES

The targets

May 8, 2025: The Times of India

The May 7 cross-border strikes, 2025
From: May 8, 2025: The Times of India

The May 7 cross-border strikes on terrorist hubs are the deepest by India inside Pakistan since the 1971 war, marking a major shift both in strategy and messaging. The strikes went beyond retaliation for the barbarity in Pahalgam, and were designed to take out the entire Lashkar-Hizb-Jaish terrorism complex, the non-state actors whom Pakistan has used for decades to wage a proxy war on India

Skystriker

May 9, 2025: The Indian Express

When India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, SkyStriker suicide drones built in Bengaluru played a crucial role in destroying terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Defence sources in Delhi confirmed that Skystriker suicide drones were used in the operation. Bengaluru-headquartered Alpha Design Technologies, in partnership with Israel’s Elbit Systems, manufactured the drones in Bengaluru. Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited has a 26 per cent stake in Alpha Design Technologies.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Colonel (retd) H S Shankar, Chief Managing Director, Alpha Design Technologies, said the Ministry of Defence has asked him not to speak to the media.

Incidentally, H S Shankar, who has served in Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) before, was the project director when Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were designed.

According to the sources, the Indian Army had placed an order for 100 SkyStrikers in 2021, and the SkyStriker drone was also exhibited during the Aero India expo that year. However, the defence forces have not disclosed the number of SkyStrikers used for Operation Sindoor.

Elbit, which conceptualised the SkyStriker drone, has mentioned on its website that the unmanned aircraft system is capable of carrying out long-range, precise tactical strikes.

The SkyStriker suicide drone can carry a warhead of up to 10 kg.

Elbit states, “As a silent, invisible, and surprise attacker, SkyStriker delivers the utmost in precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield. SkyStriker provides manoeuvrable troops and Special Forces with direct-fire aerial-precision capabilities, enhancing situational awareness and survivability.”

HAROP

May 9, 2025: The Indian Express

A day after India hit terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, its defence systems thwarted Pakistan’s attempted attacks on military targets in northern and western India on Thursday (May 8).

India also targeted multiple air defence systems in Pakistan on Thursday and successfully hit one in Lahore. It is understood that the latest Israeli HAROPs, a type of unmanned combat aerial vehicle, were used.

Here is what to know.

1. An advanced loitering munition

HAROP is a kind of loitering munition. This category of weapons is named so because they loiter in the air close to the designated target. They cause destruction by crashing into their targets with the explosive payload that they carry, earning names such as “suicide drones” and “kamikaze drones”.

Usually, loiter munitions carry a camera which is nose-mounted and can be used by the operator to see the area of operation and choose targets. These munitions also have variants which can be recovered and reused in case they are not used for any strike. This is new compared to how older precision-guided weapons were traditionally used, because they required the exact location of the targets before launch.

Loitering munitions are also used for surveillance of targets, and can carry out precision strikes autonomously or otherwise. The Indian armed forces, in the last few years, have been procuring a range of drones, including loitering munitions.

2. Israeli-made

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also claimed that India had used HAROPs. Defence manufacturer Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) described it as the “King of the Battlefield”.

“Combining the characteristics of a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and a missile, HAROP remains a formidable loitering munition equipped to hunt high-value targets like unmanned surface vessels, command posts, supply depots, tanks, and air defense systems,” its website said.

HAROP has a nine-hour endurance to seek targets in a designated area, locate and identify them, plan an attack route, and then pursue the strike from any direction at a shallow or steep dive, the website added. The system can also overcome challenges in communication with its immunity to Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jamming.

It is launched from canisters mounted on trucks or naval vessels and can be deployed from diverse terrains and environments.

3. Newer version of the ‘HARPY’

The IAI said it was the first to develop loitering munitions. “In the 1980s, IAI introduced the HARPY – initially dubbed as a ‘Kamikaze Drone,’ a definition that often misrepresents such a versatile weapon system,” its website said.

These ‘fire and forget’ missiles could be launched without prior intelligence towards the target’s location, stay in the air and then zero in on the target. The newer HAROP, which evolved from the HARPY, carries an electro-optical sensor instead of the Radio Frequency (RF) seeker of the HARPY.

“Once the wide-area scan spots an activity, the electro-optical sensor is quickly pointed in this direction to identify and acquire the target. Once a positive acquisition is made, the loitering sensor transforms into a guided weapon, ready to attack the target it has just revealed,” the website said. It claimed that hundreds of battle-tested HAROP loitering munitions have proved highly effective in combat, “delivering 98% of mission success.”

Pakistan Air Force assets that India hit

A

May 13, 2025: The Indian Express

Pakistan Air Base Destroyed: Indian missiles and drones inflicted heavy damage on at least eight Pakistan Air Force bases and several radar & air defence units in a withering aerial attack last week. While Pakistani air defences were knocked out, its aerial attacks were unable to breach Indian air defences.

PAF Base Nur Khan, Rawalpindi

Close to Pak Army HQ, n-command

Home to the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF’s) Air Mobility Command and the PAF College Chaklala, this is one of Pakistan’s most vital air bases, which plays a key role in logistics, VIP transport, strategic operations, and aviator training.

The base houses PAF transport aircraft such as Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Ilyushin Il-78 refuellers, and trainers such as Karakoram-8. With the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters and the Strategic Plans Division — the operational arm of the country’s nuclear command — in the vicinity, the base lies at the heart of the Pakistani military establishment.

PAF Base Chaklala was renamed PAF Base Nur Khan in 2012, in honour of Air Marshal Nur Khan, the base’s first Pakistani commander in 1947 who went on to lead the Pakistan Air Force from 1965 to 1969.

PAF Base Murid, Chakwal

Home base for Pakistan’s drone fleet The Murid base is the home base of Pakistan’s growing fleet of combat drones, and one of the PAF’s most important forward operational flying bases today.

Its more than eight hangars house unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the indigenously developed GIDS Shahpar and NESCOM Burraq, the Chinese Chengdu Wing Loong II, and the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and PAF Base Sukkur, Sukkur

Doubles as a civilian airport, important for northern Sindh

This is another forward operational base of the PAF which doubles as the Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport Sukkur, the second major civilian airport operational in Sindh after Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

Originally built as a military aerodrome during World War II, the Sukkur base operates under PAF’s Southern Air Command

PAF Base Rahim Yar Khan, Rahim Yar Khan

Runway knocked out by Indian strike, base shut for repairs

The Rahim Yar Khan base is a forward operational base of the PAF’s Central Command. Its sole runway is also used by the Sheikh Zayed International Airport, named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first President of the UAE, who funded the construction of the airport’s terminal. Day-to-day operations at the airport are handled by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

After India’s strike at the air base, which has left a massive crater on its runway, all flight operations have been suspended for a week.

PAF Base Mushaf, Sargodha

Most strategic PAF base, home to best fighters, pilots

Considered to be the most vital strategic asset of the PAF, the Sargodha base is home to Pakistan’s best fighter aircraft and pilots, as well as the headquarters of the Central Air Command, the Combat Commanders’ School, and the Airpower Centre of Excellence.

Aircraft such as the American F-16 Fighting Falcon, Chinese Chengdu J-7, French Mirage 5, and the JF-17 Thunder, the mainstay of PAF’s fighter fleet developed jointly with China, are stationed at the base.

The Sargodha base was a prime target of Indian air attacks during the 1965 war, during which India destroyed 10 Pakistani aircraft at the base. After this, the PAF reserved much of its fighter fleet to protect Sargodha rather than sending them to the front.

The base was renamed in 2003 in honour of Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir who had died in an aircraft crash earlier that year.

PAF Base Shahbaz, Jacobabad

Crucial NATO base during War on Terror, important for Pak’s F-16s Heavily used by NATO forces during Operation Enduring Freedom, the official moniker of the US-led Global War on Terrorism, the Jacobabad base is home to some of PAF’s most advanced aircraft and equipment.

These include the latest JF-17 Block II, multiple variants of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and the Italian Leonardo AW139 helicopters of the 88 Search and Rescue Squadron.

According to local media reports, the base also houses private contractors who work on the American F-16s.

PAF Base Rafiqui, Shorkot

Base for JF-17 and Mirage 5 fighters

Located 337 km to the south of Islamabad, this base is a vital asset of PAF’s Northern Air Command. It is home to squadrons of JF-17, Mirage 5, and the French utility helicopter Alouette III.

The base is named in honour of Sq Ldr Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, one of Pakistan’s most decorated fighter pilots, famous for his exploits during the war of 1965.

PAF Base Bholari, Jamshoro

Newest Pak’s air base, where Pak & China held major aerial excercise in 2020

Inaugurated as recently as December 2017, this is one of Pakistan’s most modern main operational bases. It is home to squadrons of both the JF-17 Thunder and F-16 Fighting Falcon, as well as Saab 2000 AEWACs (airborne early warning and control aircraft) aircraft fitted with the Erieye radar system. In 2020, the base hosted Exercise Shaheen IX, a major joint Pakistani-Chinese aerial exercise

Radar sites and air defence units

Pasrur, Sialkot district, Punjab

Sialkot, Punjab

Chunian, Kasur district, Punjab

Lahore, Punjab

Malir Cantt, Karachi, Sindh

India also struck at least three radar sites in Pakistan’s Punjab province, close to the border with the Indian state of Punjab and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, as well as two air defence units — one in Lahore and the other in Malir Cantonment, Karachi.

These were all likely a part of Pakistan’s larger air defence system.

Pakistani casualties

May 14, 2025: The Times of India

Islamabad : Pakistan’s military on Tuesday said 11 soldiers and 40 civilians were killed and 199 others including army and air force personnel injured in last week’s Indian strikes. Pakistan army’s media arm Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released the names and pictures of the soldiers who died, including a squadron leader, reports Omer Farooq Khan . 


ISPR said in a statement that the civilian casualties included seven women and 15 children. The injured included 78 soldiers and 121 civilians, the statement said. 
 ISPR said Pakistan Air Force personnel who were killed included squadron leader Usman Yousuf, chief technician Aurangzeb, senior technician Najeeb, corporal technician Farooq and senior technician Mubashir.


However, ISPR did not disclose how they died. 
Meanwhile, a day after PM Narendra Modi made it clear that Indus Waters Treaty cannot be delinked from action against terrorists , Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar said the pause in hostilities could be threatened “if the water issue is not resolved”. 
    (With agency inputs)

The international sources cited

Their reputation

GROK, which is owned by X, and thus has complete access to all its uploads and tweets wrote:

“Damien Symon, known as @detresfa_ on X, has built a strong reputation as a credible Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) expert, particularly in the field of geospatial and imagery analysis. He is widely recognized for his work in analyzing satellite imagery to verify claims during conflicts, such as the India-Pakistan tensions in May 2025. Symon’s expertise lies in providing factual, data-driven insights, often debunking misinformation with visual evidence. For instance, he has been praised for exposing doctored images and false claims by entities like Pakistan’s ISPR during Operation Sindoor, earning him accolades from media outlets and X users alike.

“His affiliations with reputable platforms like The War Zone, The Intel Lab, and others, as noted in his X bio, bolster his standing. Symon’s focus on neutrality—sticking to imagery and data rather than narrative bias—has been highlighted in posts on X, where users describe him as a reliable source who lets the evidence speak for itself.

“However, the OSINT field itself is inherently limited by access to data and the potential for manipulation of open-source materials. While Symon’s work is respected, the reliance on satellite imagery can sometimes leave gaps—images may not capture the full context, and interpretations can be challenged. His credibility hinges on the assumption that the imagery he analyzes is authentic, which isn’t always guaranteed in conflict zones where disinformation is rife. Additionally, his prominence during high-profile events like the India-Pakistan conflict might amplify his visibility, but it doesn’t necessarily mean his analyses are infallible. The establishment narrative often elevates figures like Symon to counter propaganda, but this can also make him a target for skepticism from those questioning Western-aligned OSINT perspectives in global conflicts. Overall, Symon is viewed as highly credible within his domain, though his work should be approached with an understanding of OSINT’s broader limitations.”

GROK added:

“Global UPDATES, operating under the handle @GlobalUpdates24 on X, appears to be a news-focused account providing updates on international events, including conflicts like the India-Pakistan tensions in May 2025. However, assessing its credibility and reputation reveals significant concerns.

“The account’s activity on X shows it posting frequent updates on global incidents, often with a focus on breaking news like military conflicts, natural disasters, or political developments. For instance, during the India-Pakistan conflict from May 7 to May 10, 2025, it likely shared real-time updates, given its pattern of covering such events. However, there’s a notable lack of transparency about its operators, sources, and editorial process. Unlike established outlets, @GlobalUpdates24 doesn’t disclose whether it has journalists on the ground or relies on secondary sources.

“Credibility in journalism hinges on verification, source reliability, and editorial standards. Global UPDATES often posts without linking to primary sources or providing evidence, a practice that undermines trust. For example, while it might report on events like Indian airstrikes or Pakistani responses during Operation Sindoor, there’s no indication of how it verifies such claims,”