The admission came months after New Delhi launched the operation in response to the April terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.
Speaking at a year-end press briefing, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Indian drones struck the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala area.
Dar said the attack damaged parts of the military installation and left personnel injured.
He stated that India deployed a large number of drones into Pakistani airspace within a short span and at least 80 drones crossed the border within 36 hours.
Dar claimed that Pakistani forces intercepted 79 of them, while one drone managed to hit a military site, resulting in injuries, as per News18.
Dar further said that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, convened a meeting on the night of May 9 to review the unfolding situation and approve certain decisions.
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Year-End Press Briefing by the DPM/FM 27-12-2025 https://t.co/kOBnPJTUf9
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 27, 2025
He also said India “made the mistake” of attacking the Nur Khan Air Base in the early hours of May 10, again acknowledging the strike, as per News18.
Multiple air bases targeted
Nur Khan Air Base is one of the Pakistan Air Force’s most significant facilities and was among 11 air bases targeted during Operation Sindoor.
Other locations hit included air bases in Sargodha, Rafiqui, Jacobabad and Muridke, as per News18.
Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in the early hours of May 7 as a retaliatory move following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian strikes initially focused on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), but attacked key military installations after Pakistan had retaliated to India's actions against terrorism.
India rejects Pakistan’s damage assessment
Reacting to Dar’s remarks, Indian Army veteran Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon dismissed Pakistan’s claim of “minor damage” and “minor injuries”, accusing Dar of lying, as per News18.
Dhillon cited reports from Pakistan’s own media, noting that Samaa TV had published a list on Pakistan’s Independence Day naming 138 people who were awarded gallantry honours posthumously for Operation Sindoor. He said this pointed to far higher casualties than officially admitted by Pakistan, News18 reported.
He also referred to videos shared by Pakistani civilians showing the Nur Khan base in flames and claimed that all 11 targeted air bases suffered heavy damage.
Earlier confirmations and satellite evidence
India’s strike on the Nur Khan Air Base had earlier been acknowledged by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Days after the operation, Sharif stated that Army chief General Asim Munir personally informed him of the attack during the night of May 9 and 10.
In July, Sharif’s adviser Rana Sanaullah admitted that Pakistan had only 30 to 45 seconds to determine whether an incoming Indian missile towards Nur Khan carried a nuclear warhead, according to News18.
Satellite images taken in May reportedly showed extensive damage at several Pakistani air bases, including Nur Khan, Mushaf in Sargodha, Bholari and Shahbaz in Jacobabad.
