National: In a dramatic intensification of cross-border tensions, Pakistan’s air defence infrastructure suffered severe setbacks on Thursday following a series of coordinated drone strikes across 10 cities, just a day after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ targeting terrorist camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Indian operation was conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians earlier this week.
According to intelligence sources, some of Pakistan’s most sophisticated air defence assets, including the Chinese-made HQ-9 missile systems stationed in Lahore, were struck during the attacks. The HQ-9, derived from Russia’s S-300 design, is considered one of the cornerstones of Pakistan’s aerial defence, and its reported destruction has left Lahore exposed to further threats from the air.
The drone strikes were not limited to Lahore. Explosions were reported in Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Karachi, Chor, Miano, and Attock, sparking widespread panic and leading to the temporary suspension of flight operations at major airports in Sialkot, Karachi, and Lahore. Sirens wailed and fireballs lit up the night sky near Lahore’s Walton airport, prompting residents to evacuate in fear as videos circulating online showed smoke plumes rising over urban skylines.
Pakistani media, including Samaa TV, quoted police sources confirming that at least one drone was intercepted and jammed. The drone, said to be between five to six feet in length, was reportedly neutralised before reaching its target. Despite the scale of the attacks, no civilian casualties or damage to non-military sites have been reported thus far.
The strikes followed India’s precision offensive under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Wednesday, during which the Indian Air Force and Army jointly targeted nine terror camps associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Around 80 to 90 terrorists were believed to have been neutralised using air-to-surface missiles from Rafale jets and ground-launched surface-to-surface weaponry. The Indian government maintained that the strikes avoided Pakistani military assets and were calibrated to prevent civilian harm.
However, the operation has provoked sharp backlash from Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the strikes an “act of war” and accused India of killing civilians, including women and children—claims that New Delhi has categorically denied, releasing satellite imagery and drone visuals to back its version.
In a retaliatory escalation, Pakistan launched artillery fire along the Line of Control in the Poonch-Rajouri sector on Thursday evening, resulting in the deaths of 15 Indian civilians. The cycle of attack and reprisal has now entered a dangerously volatile phase, with diplomatic fallout and regional security consequences looming large.
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