One of the most significant revelations from Operation Sindoor has now come to light. A female fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force was among those who struck the Muridke headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terror organisation led by India’s most wanted terrorist Hafiz Saeed, The Print reported.

Sources within the defence and security establishment confirmed that the woman Flight Lieutenant was part of the strike package that targeted the LeT headquarters. She was flying a Su-30MKI, a versatile aircraft capable of firing both Rampage and BrahMos air-to-ground missiles.

These weapons were used extensively during the 87-hour conflict. Officials declined to specify which missile was employed in the Muridke strike, noting that details of the weapons used remain classified.

It was acknowledged that Pakistan likely retrieved missile debris from the site and would be attempting to identify the make and origin of the weapon systems involved. This forms part of the intelligence battle that followed the strikes.

The operation has also been documented in a two-part docu-series titled Declassified: Operation Sindoor, released by Discovery Channel. The series features a woman officer whose identity remains concealed, further corroborating the involvement of female pilots in the mission.

It is understood that more than one woman fighter pilot participated in the operation. Defence sources emphasised that once inducted into the fighter stream, pilots are regarded simply as fighter pilots, without distinction of gender. Both male and female pilots undergo identical training and assume the same operational responsibilities.

Women pilots were involved in targeting multiple military locations during the 87-hour conflict. They flew both Su-30MKI and Rafale aircraft. In some missions, women officers served as Weapon System Operators, while in others they were the pilots themselves.

On the opening day of Operation Sindoor, nine targets were struck by Indian forces. Of these, two were hit by the Indian Air Force—the Muridke headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Bahawalpur headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed. The remaining targets were destroyed by the Indian Army using loitering munitions and long-range artillery.

The involvement of women fighter pilots in such high-intensity operations marks a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force. It demonstrates their growing role in frontline combat missions and underscores the service’s commitment to gender-neutral operational deployment.

This revelation also highlights the precision and effectiveness of the IAF’s strike capability, with women officers playing a crucial role in missions against some of the most notorious terror organisations operating from Pakistani soil.

Agencies