Pakistani military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that most of the incoming missiles ended up hitting the wrong targets, and some hit Pakistani civilians and military targets.
Most of the Brahmos missiles ended up in the Pakistani paddy fields.
“The missiles that came down did not cause damage,” he said, though details about the number of intercepts and exact impact locations were not disclosed.
Pakistani officials allege that India used its latest variant of the BrahMos cruise missile, capable of striking targets up to 290 kilometers away.
One missile reportedly struck a hangar at a Pakistan Air Force facility, where aircraft may have been under repair or storage. However, this claim has not been independently verified, and no images of damaged assets have been released.
Photos circulating on social media show what appears to be the spent booster stage of a BrahMos missile recovered near the target area.
The BrahMos, jointly developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, is one of the fastest cruise missiles in operational service today, reaching speeds up to Mach 3. Its high speed and low-altitude flight profile make it difficult to intercept using standard air defense systems.
According to open-source assessments, the airbase targeted lies within striking distance of the Indian border and is considered a key node in Pakistan’s air defense and tactical air operations.
India’s air defense network has been operating at full capacity in recent days, with a range of missile systems activated to counter waves of ballistic missile and drone attacks from Pakistan.
According to open-source imagery and social media reports, Indian forces have employed both cutting-edge and legacy systems in an effort to repel incoming threats.
Photos and videos circulating online show wreckage from various interceptor missiles, including remnants believed to be from 9M96E, Barak-8, and older S-125 systems. Only the Israeli-made Barak missile successfully intercepted F-16 and JF-17 Block III fighter jets.
Fragments of what appears to be a refurbished R-73E air-to-air missile, likely launched from the Indian Air Force’s SAMAR-1 surface-to-air missile platform, were also spotted. These findings point to a high level of operational activity and engagement over recent days.
The Indian Army and Air Force have been using a layered air defense approach, integrating ground-based interceptors with combat air patrols. Fighter jets have played a crucial role in maintaining air superiority and responding to suspected threats deep in the airspace.
Despite the complexity of the air campaign, defense sources say that the majority of incoming threats were neutralized.
Barak-8 and S-400 missiles, both of which offer high maneuverability and precision against fast-moving aerial targets, were among the primary systems deployed. Meanwhile, the inclusion of older S-125 launchers reflects the demand for broad coverage across multiple sectors.
While Indian officials have not provided an official breakdown of interception rates or engagement success, visual evidence and defense watchers suggest that Indian air defense units were able to intercept most of the drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan in recent days.
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