Pakistan Used Civilian Flights As Cover, Kept Airspace Open Even After Attacking India: Govt

India on Friday said Pakistan used civilian flights as cover as it launched a series of attacks on military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan the night before.

It said the neighbouring country kept its airspace open even after attacking India. On Thursday night (May 8), India swiftly thwarted Pakistan’s fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles, including in Jammu and Pathankot after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions, as tensions soared between the two countries amid fears of a wider conflict.

According to the Indian military, Pakistan sent 300 to 400 drones in 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek to target military installations. The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, the military said.

The military said one Pakistani armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was sent to target Bhatinda military station, but the attempt was foiled. Responding to Pakistan’s attack, India launched armed drones at four air defence sites in the country, and one drone destroyed an AD (air defence) radar system, it said.

Blackouts from several cities and towns in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan were enforced as drones were sighted from across the border.

“Military stations at Jammu and Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J and K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities…,” as per a late-night statement by the ministry of defence (MoD).

Indian air defence units successfully intercepted at least eight missiles fired by Pakistan towards the border areas of Jammu, including the strategically important Jammu Airport at Satwari in the evening, defence sources said. The missiles were aimed at key locations, including Satwari (Jammu Airport), Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, they said.

The renewed attempts and intense shelling by the Pakistani forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) came after India targeted Pakistani air defence systems at multiple cities with one in Lahore being “neutralised” earlier in the morning.

On May 7, the Indian armed forces carried out precise missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’. As the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reiterated that any attack on military sites in India will invite a “suitable response”, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistan only can decide if it wants to de-escalate tensions with India as New Delhi responded to the “original escalation” triggered by the Pahalgam massacre.