New Delhi, May 10 -- Thursday was a long night; the night of the Generals. Pakistan unleashed its tentative response to India's lethal precision strikes on 7 May against nine terrorist infrastructure targets across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in the heart of Punjab, including the infamous dens of Muridke and Bahawalpur. The strikes caused immense hurt and pain to the military state as India escalated the intensity of punishment through Operation Sindoor, compared to the earlier Uri and Balakot reprisals.

Pakistan's retaliation was targeting 36 military and aviation installations stretching from Leh to Sir Creek with 400 Turkish drones designed to test India's layered air defence systems. These were accompa...