IAF Shares Rare Glimpses of Operations, Including Strikes on Pakistani Targets | WATCH

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released rare visuals showcasing some of its most high-profile missions, including devastating precision strikes on Pakistani targets during Operation Sindoor.

The video, posted on the IAF’s official X account with the caption “Indian Air Force – Touch the sky with glory”, offers a rare inside look at the force’s operational capabilities.

It features combat aircraft in tight formations, laser-guided bomb drops, and real strike footage. Among the highlights are clips from Operation Sindoor, showing deep-penetration missions that crippled key Pakistani military assets, forcing a shift in their operational posture.  

According to IAF sources, several high-value targets were neutralised in the strikes, with the scale of destruction “much greater than what was made public.” These included command centres, logistics hubs, and air defence installations, significantly degrading Pakistan’s combat readiness.

The IAF’s role in Operation Sindoor adds to its history of decisive aerial interventions. In December 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, the IAF’s strike on the Governor’s House in Dhaka on December 14 broke the morale of Pakistani forces. Alongside Operation Cactus Lily and the Tangail airdrop, these missions isolated Pakistani troops and hastened their surrender, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

In 1999, during the Kargil War, the IAF launched Operation Safed Sagar, deploying Mirage-2000 and MiG-21 aircraft in high-altitude combat for the first time. The IAF provided close air support to the Indian Army, targeting entrenched positions on steep mountain ridges while strictly avoiding crossing the Line of Control to prevent escalation. Precision bombing played a critical role in enabling ground forces to reclaim occupied peaks.

On February 26, 2019, the IAF carried out Operation Bandar, striking an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Flying deep into Pakistani territory, Mirage-2000 jets dropped SPICE 2000 precision-guided munitions. Indian intelligence reports suggested multiple terrorist casualties, including senior trainers, though Pakistan contested the damage. The mission underscored India’s readiness to execute deep-strike missions across the border.

Operation Sindoor, however, stands out for the magnitude of its execution, combining advanced targeting pods, satellite navigation, and multi-wave attack formations to deliver maximum damage in minimum time. Military analysts see the release of this footage not just as a morale booster for the armed forces, but as a calibrated message to adversaries about the reach, speed, and precision of the Indian Air Force.

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