India foiled Pakistan’s planned offensive on the intervening night of May 9 and May 10 by firing BrahMos missiles, the country’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has admitted in a public speech.
Speaking at an event in Azerbaijan, Sharif said that the Pakistani armed forces had planned to attack India before morning prayers, but before it could do so, several provinces of Pakistan were attacked by BrahMos missiles.
The statement comes weeks after heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following Operation Sindoor. India had previously warned of a strong response following a terror attack in Pahalgam, which New Delhi claimed was directed from across the border.
Sharif’s comments confirm that Pakistan’s military, led by Army Chief Asim Munir — now promoted to Field Marshal — had planned to strike India early on May 10. However, India preempted that move by launching long-range, supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles at critical military installations before dawn.
The admission, made in one of the few countries publicly backing Pakistan on the global stage, underscores the scale and timing of India’s precision strikes.
On May 10, India’s military conducted strikes on eight Pakistani airbases, including Murid and Nur Khan air bases, in retaliation for Pakistani attacks on a range of military facilities earlier the same day.
