India Intercepts Pakistani Fatah-II Missile Near Sirsa; Retaliatory Strikes Hit Pak Airbases

New Delhi, May 10: In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Pakistan reportedly launched a Fatah-II surface-to-surface missile aimed at Delhi on Saturday morning. According to initial reports, India’s advanced air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed the missile mid-air near Sirsa in Haryana, averting a potential catastrophe.

The Fatah-II missile, believed to have a range of up to 400 kilometers, represents one of Pakistan’s more sophisticated battlefield weapons. The reported strike marks a significant intensification in the ongoing military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Indian retaliatory action was swift and severe. In the early hours of Saturday, the Indian Armed Forces reportedly launched precision strikes on four key Pakistani airbases — Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Murid in Punjab’s Chakwal, Rafiqi in Shorkot, and another undisclosed location. The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed the attacks on Pakistani military infrastructure.

Sources told ANI that India’s response came after Pakistan allegedly targeted 26 locations across Indian territory earlier in the day. “Intermittent firing continues at several points along the Line of Control (LoC). However, all Indian Army and Air Force bases remain secure,” the Defence Ministry stated.

Security forces also reported multiple drone sightings — including suspected armed drones — along the International Border and LoC. Affected areas included Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, and others. Tragically, one such drone strike injured members of a civilian family in Ferozpur, Punjab.

The volatile exchange comes days after India carried out precision strikes against terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which had cross-border linkages.

Military officials have placed all forward bases on high alert as the situation remains tense. Senior defence authorities are monitoring developments closely, and diplomatic backchannels are reportedly being explored to de-escalate the conflict.

As both nations brace for potential further escalation, international observers have expressed growing concern over the fragile security situation in the region.