India appeared to have a "clear edge" over Pakistan in targeting military facilities and air bases during their recent four-day confrontation, The New York Times said, citing satellite imagery analysis.
High-resolution satellite images taken before and after the attacks showed "clear damage" to numerous Pakistani military targets due to Indian attacks, the report said.
Terming the incident the biggest military clash between India and Pakistan in half a century, the report said, "The four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan was the most widespread fighting in half a century between the two nuclear nations. While the two sides employed drones and missiles to probe each other's air defense systems and strike military installations, they claimed to cause major damage."
But it went further to observe that the satellite imagery indicates that the destruction was more contained than has been publicly stated — "and seemed largely done by India to Pakistani installations."
In this age of high-tech warfare, both countries depended on technology to carry out highly precise operations, with the attacks verified through satellite confirmation seeming to be well-targeted. The report underlined India's better efficiency: "Where India seems to have had a clear advantage is in its targeting of Pakistani military bases and airports, as the second phase of fighting turned from token strikes and displays of force to attacks on each other's defense capabilities."
Among the examples cited as significant was that of the Bholari airbase, located within 100 miles of Karachi, where Indian troops purportedly hit an aircraft hangar with precision. "The video indicated clear damage to what appears to be a hangar," the report said.
Another major strike was made on Nur Khan airbase, within 15 miles of the central command of the Pakistani army and the Prime Minister's residence. The airbase is close to the unit that secures Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, and so is "perhaps the most sensitive military target that India struck.
Indian officials stated they deliberately targeted runways and key assets at key Pakistani airbases. Evidence of the destruction of these targets, satellite images said, was visible. Significantly, on May 10, Pakistan officially warned that the Rahim Yar Khan airstrip had been taken out of action.
India is said to have used precision-guided munitions at the Sargodha airbase in Pakistan's Punjab province to target two parts of the runway.
In the meantime, Pakistani claims of effective retaliatory strikes had no concrete visual evidence. "Satellite imagery at the locations Pakistan said it struck are scarce, and as yet fail to clearly identify damage resulting from Pakistani bombing even at bases where there was supporting evidence of some kind of military activity," noted the report.
Responding specifically to Pakistan's allegation of "destroying" India's Udhampur airbase, The New York Times said, "an image from May 12 does not appear to show damage."
India's sustained series of precision attacks, code-named 'Operation Sindoor', started early on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack on Pahalgam that left 26 dead.
Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military installations on May 8, 9, and 10. This led to a severe Indian counterattack targeting many Pakistani locations such as Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.
Also, radar stations at Pasrur and the Sialkot airbase were struck with precision-guided weapons, which allegedly destroyed much property.
The war ended on May 10 after the two parties signed a ceasefire agreement after four consecutive days of intense drone and missile strikes along the border.
