India thwarts multi-city drone and missile barrage
The Ministry of Defence said Pakistani forces attempted to strike military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur using missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Indian armed forces responded with what officials described as “kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities.”
“Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir today,” said a Defence Ministry spokesperson.
“The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established standard operating procedures (SOPs),” the spokesperson added. “No casualties or material losses were reported.”
Also Read: Pakistan fires Hamas-style missiles at Jammu, all shot down by Indian forces: Defence sources
India launches retaliatory precision strikes on Pakistani defences
Early Thursday, India struck back. The armed forces deployed kamikaze drones and precision-guided missiles to target Pakistan’s air defence systems at multiple locations, including Lahore.“Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry emphasised that the strikes were proportional and targeted. They were not aimed at civilian or conventional military targets.
Multiple Indian cities on alert as debris falls
As Pakistan launched missiles and drones across northern and western India, several cities were placed on high alert. Blackouts were reported in Bikaner, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Jammu, Samba, Akhnoor, and Kishtwar. Air defence units in Udhampur and Jaisalmer intercepted threats mid-air, causing loud explosions and bright flashes visible in the night sky.
In Jammu alone, eight missiles aimed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia were intercepted by Indian defences. The debris from intercepted devices is now being recovered to trace the origin and nature of the Pakistani assault.
Defence Officials: Pakistan mimicking Hamas-style tactics
Sources within India’s defence establishment noted similarities between Pakistan’s drone and missile barrage and Hamas-style attacks seen in recent conflicts in the Middle East.
“Pakistan is using Hamas-style missiles to target multiple areas in Jammu,” a senior defence source told ANI. “The visuals over Jammu remind us exactly of Hamas-style attack on Israel, like multiple cheap rockets. Pakistan Army is operating and behaving like a terror organisation Hamas,” the source said.
The official added that last month, Pakistani intelligence (ISI) had met with Hamas representatives in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor
India’s precision strikes on Thursday came just a day after it launched Operation Sindoor, a military mission that destroyed nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. That operation was conducted in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
According to sources briefed at an all-party meeting, over 100 terrorists were killed in Wednesday’s pre-dawn precision strikes. These camps were specifically chosen to avoid civilian or regular military facilities.
India’s position, reiterated repeatedly by the Defence Ministry, remains one of measured response—not escalation.
Foreign Secretary: “Pakistan escalated first”
At a press conference on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri underlined that India’s actions were retaliatory in nature and not provocations.
“The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22nd of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasise that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as we’ve been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately,” Misri said.
He added, “We are only responding to the original escalations, as I said. And our response has been targeted, precise, controlled and measured. No military targets have been selected. Only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit.”
Civilian casualties mount from cross-border shelling
Beyond the missile exchanges, Pakistan has intensified unprovoked artillery and mortar fire along the Line of Control. Areas affected include Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri.
The Defence Ministry confirmed, “Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military.”
India’s military remains on high alert across border states. Surveillance has been intensified. Meanwhile, confirmation is awaited on the Pakistani jet reportedly downed over Pathankot. Analysts say the next 48 hours will be crucial in determining whether the conflict continues to escalate—or finds a way to de-escalate under pressure.
