SOURCE: AFI
In a bold and controversial statement, former Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Sohail Aman, recently claimed that the PAF conducted strikes on 34 Indian Air Force (IAF) airbases during a recent conflict between the two nations. According to Aman, these alleged attacks targeted over half of the IAF’s reported 60 air stations across India, representing 56% of its airbase infrastructure.
In contrast, he asserted that the IAF managed to strike only one PAF airbase. Aman further suggested that the PAF deliberately chose not to publicize these strikes, a claim that has drawn significant skepticism and ridicule, particularly from Indian online communities, nearly 60 days after the clashes.
. According to these posts, Aman claimed the PAF executed a large-scale operation targeting 34 IAF airbases, a figure that, if true, would indicate an unprecedented level of penetration into Indian territory by Pakistani forces. However, the lack of verifiable evidence from the PAF to substantiate these claims has fueled widespread debate and criticism.
The India-Pakistan conflict in question, which reportedly spanned May 7–10, 2025, was a brief but intense escalation triggered by a terror attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, that killed 26 civilians. India’s response, dubbed Operation Sindoor, involved precision strikes on multiple PAF airbases, including Nur Khan, Murid, Rafiqui, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, Sialkot, Bholari, Sargodha, and Jacobabad. Indian authorities and international media, supported by satellite imagery, confirmed significant damage to PAF infrastructure, including runways, hangars, aircraft, and critical assets like a Saab 2000 AWACS at Bholari airbase.
In contrast, Pakistan’s counter-operation, codenamed Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos, targeted 26 Indian locations, including airbases and civilian infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. However, Indian officials, including Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, stated that these attacks were largely repelled, with minimal damage to IAF bases and no significant losses to India’s air defense systems, such as the S-400.
Aman’s claim that the PAF struck 34 IAF airbases has been met with skepticism due to the absence of credible evidence nearly two months after the conflict. Indian defense officials and analysts have pointed out that no satellite imagery, official statements, or independent reports corroborate the PAF’s alleged success. The Indian Ministry of Defence and media outlets like India Today and The Times of India reported that Pakistan’s attacks caused negligible damage, with air defense systems intercepting most incoming threats.
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