India on Thursday launched a fresh series of drone strikes inside Pakistan, retaliating strongly after Pakistan attempted coordinated attacks on 15 Indian military locations overnight. According to an official government release, India’s counter-attack successfully neutralised Pakistan’s air defence system located in Lahore.
“These (Pakistani attempts) were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence Systems. Debris from these neutralised drones and missiles is currently being recovered from various locations, providing definitive proof of Pakistan’s aggression,” the release said.
Targeted Indian Locations
The Pakistani offensive focused on key military bases across Northern and Western India. The targets included Awantipora and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, and Chandigarh in Punjab. Further west, Pakistan attempted strikes on Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai in Rajasthan, and Bhuj in Gujarat. These regions host major Indian Air Force (IAF) and Army installations, indicating a deliberate strategy to cripple India’s military readiness.
Escalation of Hostilities
This move represents a sharp escalation following India’s Operation Sindoor on 7 May, where Indian forces struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), targeting Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) infrastructure responsible for cross-border terror activities. In retaliation, Pakistan has intensified shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), especially in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors.
Over the past 48 hours, Pakistani artillery fire has killed 16 civilians—including three women and children—and injured dozens in the border regions of J&K.
India’s Stated Intent and Warning
Indian authorities clarified that Operation Sindoor was a non-escalatory counter-terror operation, carefully avoiding Pakistani civilian and military targets. In repeated statements, India had conveyed that it did not intend to escalate further but warned of proportionate retaliation if provoked.
Pakistan, disregarding these signals, deliberately targeted Indian military installations across strategic locations. However, all attacks were effectively thwarted by Indian air defence systems.
India remains on high alert along the LoC and sensitive areas.
Article sourced from OPEN Magazine: https://openthemagazine.com
