Pakistan moves troops to forward areas amid escalating border tensions

Pakistan’s military has begun moving forces into forward areas, India said on Saturday, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors took a new turn following intense cross-border strikes.

The armed forces have responded appropriately, the government added.

At a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that Pakistan had attacked Indian airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, and Bathinda, along with 23 other Indian cities. Most of the attacks were neutralised, officials said.

The Pakistani Army also targeted medical facilities in Srinagar, Avantipura, and Udhampur, Col Qureshi revealed, calling the assault a “clear provocation.”

India’s response came swiftly. In a pre-dawn operation Saturday, Indian forces struck three high-value Pakistani military bases—Nur Khan, Murid, and Rafiqui—in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians earlier this month. The Nur Khan base, located near Islamabad, is adjacent to Pakistan’s military headquarters, while Murid serves as a drone warfare hub, and Rafiqui houses JF-17 and Mirage squadrons.

Pakistan has reportedly named its retaliation “Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos,” a Quranic reference meaning “solid wall of lead.” It also Pakistan claimed it targeted seven Indian sites in its counterstrike and said its Al-Fateh ballistic missile was launched in memory of children allegedly killed in Indian operations. Indian officials dismissed the claim as propaganda, accusing Pakistan of using emotional narratives to cover its support for terror networks.

As troops shift into combat positions along the border, officials warn the situation remains highly volatile.