Latest news with #precisionstrikes
Russia Today
29-05-2025
- General
- Russia Today
Russian military hits Ukrainian commando HQ – MOD (VIDEO)
Russian forces have carried out precision strikes on a facility used by Ukrainian special operations forces, the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced Thursday. The targeted site, located in Ukraine's Nikolaev Region, reportedly included a munitions depot, a vehicle hangar, a command post, and a dormitory for commandos. The strike was carried out using Geran-2 long-range drones and Iskander-M missiles, according to the ministry. Officials suggested that foreign nationals fighting for Kiev may have been killed in the attack. Footage released by the ministry and mapping details of the strike point to the location as Ochakov, a key port city near the junction of the Black Sea and the Dnieper–Bug estuary. The Dnieper River forms a natural dividing line between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the is reported to serve as a base for British-assisted naval drone operations, from which Ukraine has launched attacks using unmanned surface vessels against Russian targets in Crimea. Just south of the city lies the Kinburn Spit, a narrow strip of land connected to Russia's Kherson Region. Ukrainian forces have attempted to seize the position several times, while Russian troops have used it to launch strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have ramped up long-range drone attacks inside Russian territory, amid pressure from Washington for Kiev to engage in direct peace negotiations with Moscow. The Russian military has responded by targeting suspected drone assembly sites and other strategic installations. The strike on Ochakov appeared to be part of such nighttime operations.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
The first drone war opens a new chapter in India-Pakistan conflict
Laser-guided missiles and bombs, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become pivotal in modern warfare, significantly enhancing the precision and efficiency of military operations. These can relay co-ordinates for airstrikes or, if equipped, directly laser-designate targets, and help immediate engagement. Drones can be used as decoys or suppression of enemy air defences, flying into contested airspace to trigger enemy radar emissions, which can then be targeted by other munitions like loitering drones or anti-radiation missiles. "This is how Ukraine and Russia both do it in their war. This dual role - targeting and triggering - makes drones a force multiplier in degrading enemy air defences without risking manned aircraft," says Prof Matisek. Experts say India's drone fleet is largely built around Israeli-made reconnaissance UAVs like the IAI Searcher and Heron, along with Harpy and Harop loitering munitions - drones that double as missiles, capable of autonomous reconnaissance and precision strikes. The Harop, in particular, signals a shift toward high-value, precision-targeted warfare, reflecting the growing importance of loitering munitions in modern conflict, experts say. The Heron, say experts, is India's "high-altitude eyes in the sky" for both peacetime monitoring and combat operations. The IAI Searcher Mk II is designed for frontline operations, offering up to 18 hours of endurance, a range of 300km (186 miles), and a service ceiling of 7,000m (23,000ft). While many believe India's combat drone numbers remain "modest", a recent $4bn deal to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones - which can can fly for 40 hours and up to an altitude of 40,000ft - from the US marks a major leap in its strike capabilities. India is also developing swarm drone tactics - deploying large numbers of smaller UAVs to overwhelm and saturate air defences, allowing higher-value assets to penetrate, say experts. Pakistan's drone fleet is "extensive and diverse", comprising both indigenous and imported systems, Ejaz Haider, a Lahore-based defence analyst told the BBC. He said the inventory includes "over a thousand drones", featuring models from China, Turkey and domestic manufacturers. Notable platforms include the Chinese CH-4, the Turkish Bayraktar Akinci, and Pakistan's own Burraq and Shahpar drones. Additionally, Pakistan has developed loitering munitions, enhancing its strike capabilities.
Irish Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
How will Pakistan respond to India's missile attack?
India has conducted what it has described as 'precision strikes' in neighbouring Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, days after it blamed Islamabad for a deadly attack on the Indian side of the contested region that killed 26 people. At least 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured by the Indian strikes, according to Pakistani officials. The Indian government claimed that nine non-military targets had been hit, in what it called 'Operation Sindoor'. The military operation by India represents yet another bloody chapter in the decades-long simmering conflict over Kashmir, often called the Switzerland of India because of its lakes, forests and snow-capped mountains. READ MORE The contested nature of the territory means that Kashmir is one of the most militarised zones in the world. To understand what happened this week – and why – it's necessary to look back to 1947 when Pakistan and India became independent from Britain and when both claimed Kashmir. Shashank Joshi, defence Eeditor with The Economist magazine, explains the background and explores the fears of further hostilities in one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
On the ground in Kashmir: The Independent reports live from wreckage site
India said it had conducted precision strikes in Pakistan in an overnight military operation on Wednesday, 7 May, following a terrorist attack in Kashmir that left 26 people dead and escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Targets of the strikes were nine facilities allegedly linked to proscribed militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, Indian officials claimed. Pakistan 's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif called Indian strikes an "act of war" and said Islamabad reserved the right to "give a strong response". The Independent spoke to witnesses at the site of a crashed jet in Kashmir, who described a huge explosion lighting up the night sky, but New Delhi has not confirmed how many planes it lost.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mapped: Where India struck Pakistan territory with deadly pre-dawn airstrikes
India said it had conducted precision strikes in Pakistan in an overnight military operation, days after a terrorist attack in Kashmir left 26 people dead and escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for the 22 April attack in the restive Himalayan region, which both countries claim in whole but hold only in part. The targets of the nighttime strikes, Indian officials claimed on Tuesday, were nine facilities allegedly linked to proscribed militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistan 's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif called the Indian strikes an "act of war" and said Islamabad reserved the right to "give a strong response". The Pakistani military claimed its air defences shot down five Indian fighter jets involved in the strikes. The two militaries also exchanged fire along the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, causing civilian casualties on the Indian side, local media reported. India claimed its military had carefully selected strike targets in Pakistan to avoid hitting civilian and military infrastructure. The targets were chosen based on intelligence assessments identifying them as operational or training hubs for militants. The locations spanned from Bahawalpur in the south to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in the north. The targets included Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur which India claimed was linked to the Jaish leadership, alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters Markaz Taiba in Muridke, and two alleged hubs of cross-border terrorism in Muzaffarabad and Kotli. The Indian air force reportedly used Rafale fighters armed with SCALP cruise missiles and precision bombs to strike the targets. Indian officials described the mission as "focused and non-escalatory", with the narrow objective of dismantling terrorist capabilities without provoking a broader conflict. Pakistani officials reported at least 26 casualties, including women and children, and damage to civilian infrastructure, though this could not be independently verified. The Pakistani military said it had responded with "measured deterrence" and denied the existence of active militant camps at the targeted sites. The overnight operation was the most expansive military action by India against Pakistan since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, which were carried out in response to a militant attack on paramilitary soldiers in Kashmir.
