Amid escalating hostilities, India launched retaliatory strikes on at least four Pakistani airbases in the early hours of Saturday following Pakistan’s coordinated drone and missile attacks on 26 locations across India, sources told ANI.
Heavy cross-border firing is ongoing at multiple points along the Line of Control (LoC), with heightened military activity reported in Jammu and Kashmir. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the sighting of suspected armed drones at 26 locations along both the International Border and the LoC, including Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Bhuj, and Barmer.
In one serious incident, an armed Pakistani drone struck a civilian area in Ferozpur, Punjab, injuring members of a local family. Medical assistance was promptly provided and security forces have since sanitised the area.
Indian forces remain on high alert, actively tracking aerial threats and deploying counter-drone systems. Citizens, especially in border regions, have been urged to remain indoors and comply with local safety directives. Authorities have asked people not to panic, but to maintain heightened vigilance.
In Jammu and Kashmir, loud explosions were reported in the Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur areas, where homes and infrastructure were damaged. In Udhampur’s Dibber area, smoke was seen rising after a powerful blast. Similarly, in Punjab’s Jalandhar district, a drone explosion in Kanganiwal village damaged several homes during a blackout.
“We saw a red flash above the house, followed by a massive explosion,” said Surjeet Kaur, a resident of Kanganiwal. “There was complete darkness, and our water tanks were destroyed. We were terrified.”
This escalation follows an earlier wave of attacks on Indian military infrastructure on the night of May 7–8, which were neutralised by Indian air defences. Notably, an air defence system in Lahore was also taken out during India’s counter-operations.
India has attributed the latest wave of provocations to Pakistan’s reaction following precision strikes by Indian forces on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
As tensions continue to mount, Indian Defence Forces have vowed to respond decisively to any further aggression.