In an abrupt intensification of decades of border hostilities, Pakistan launched “Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos” on May 10, 2025 — the name of which translates to “Iron Wall.” It was a drastic shift from conventional regional war planning, combining synchronized missile strikes with sophisticated cyber attack on India. Globally, the world saw the subcontinent re-emerge on global security headlines.
Precision Missile Strikes on Indian Military Infrastructure
Pakistan’s traditional reaction commenced with a salvo of guided missile attacks designed to destroy India’s military capabilities. Locations mentioned include Udhampur airbases, Pathankot airbases, Halwara airbases, and Srinagar airbases, and central missile depots in Beas and Nagrota. Fateh-1 systems were employed, reflecting Pakistan’s sophisticated missile capabilities and targeting abilities.
Pakistan’s military reported widespread disruption of Indian operations, theorizing strikes against radar installations, ammunition storage facilities, and artillery brigades throughout Jammu and Kashmir. Indian defense authorities refuted the account with word that their air defense systems destroyed most of the incoming missiles. Though, the attacks did serve their ultimate purpose: serving notice and compelling India to rethink its forward position.
Cyberwarfare: Paralyzing Power and Information Networks
At the same time, a devastating cyberattack on India’s cyber infrastructure exacerbated the mayhem, with some areas left in ruin. Pakistan’s cyber troops are said to have disabled over two-thirds of India’s electricity grid, triggering blackouts throughout Maharashtra and along the western corridor. Rail networks, government websites, and web identification services were also severely affected.
Websites of prominent organizations such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Unique Identification Authority of India were hacked into. Even the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s website was hacked into. On another side of the attack, more than 2,500 public CCTV cameras were hacked into. Targeting both the utilities as well as symbolic institutions, Pakistan demonstrated enhanced capabilities in hybrid warfare — where cyber warfare was paired with conventional warfare.
High-end websites of institutions such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the UIDAI were hacked. Even the Bharatiya Janata Party website, ruling party, got defaced. Second wave of the attack witnessed more than 2,500 public surveillance cameras getting hacked. By attacking both utilities and symbolic institutions, Pakistan showcased its enhanced capabilities in hybrid warfare — marrying cyber activity to conventional combat.
Strategic Intent and Global Reactions
Although Pakistan explained Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos as a defense, coordination of the raids indicated strategic intent. The operation was suited to demobilize India without necessarily amounting to a war-of-everything-and-anything. It was also an ideological message — reaffirming Pakistan’s deterrent power and capacity to retaliate aggressively in the event of perceived provocation.
Reactions from around the world followed in rapid succession. World leaders called for restraint as escalation concerns mounted. The operation’s bimodal nature — kinetic and cyber — provoked global discussion on nascent rules of war in the modern age and strategic infrastructure vulnerability. Experts quoted that retaliatory cyber threats were no longer a hypothetical threat but an actual working reality in conflicts in the region.
Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos could be a breakthrough in Indo-Pakistani standoff. The concurrent deployment of missiles and malware signifies a new era in warfare where conventional and cyber arms face each other on an equal footing. India has subsequently increased cybersecurity assessments and fortified its military networks, preparing itself for another cyber infiltration.
To date, the crisis has remained stable under pressure from diplomacy, but the event is left with native uncertainty. Future wars in the Middle East will be even more ambiguous, defined not by armies and missiles but by code, sabotage of infrastructure, and control of narrative. The Iron Wall was defensive by design, yet the significance of its meaning reverberates far beyond the field of battle itself.