Amid escalating tensions, India has reportedly thwarted a barrage of Pakistani drones and missiles, responding with targeted strikes that have neutralized a key air defense system in Lahore. The events unfolded on Thursday, May 8, 2025, following a series of cross-border actions and accusations between the two nations.
According to reports, Pakistan attempted to target multiple military installations in areas including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, and Amritsar using drones and missiles. However, India's Integrated Counter UAS Grid and the Russia-made S-400 Triumf air defense systems successfully neutralized the threats.
In a counter-offensive, the Indian armed forces targeted air defense radars and systems at several locations within Pakistan. Sources indicate that the HQ-9 missile defense system units in Lahore, developed by China, were hit, effectively rendering the Pakistani army defenseless in that region. The Indian government stated that its response was proportionate and in the same domain as Pakistan's actions.
Pakistan's military, however, has presented a different account, claiming to have shot down 12 to 25 Indian drones, some of which they identify as Israeli-made Harop suicide drones. They further allege that one drone managed to strike a military target near Lahore, resulting in injuries to four army personnel and damage to equipment.
The recent exchange follows "Operation Sindoor," a joint operation by the Indian Army and Air Force on Wednesday, which targeted and destroyed terror camps in nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India claimed that the strikes, conducted using air-to-surface missiles from Rafale jets and surface-to-surface missiles, resulted in the killing of 80-100 terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This operation was reportedly in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists in April, an attack India blames on Pakistan.
These events have led to a surge in tensions, with reports of heavy exchanges of artillery fire along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to retaliate against the strikes, raising concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict. Trading was temporarily halted at the Pakistan Stock Exchange after the benchmark index plunged following reports of the drone attacks.
The US Consulate General in Lahore has directed its staff to shelter in place amidst the ongoing reports of drone explosions and possible airspace incursions.
