The Indian government confirmed Thursday that its armed forces have neutralised Pakistani air defence installations, including a strategic radar system in Lahore, in response to Islamabad’s failed overnight attempt to hit military bases across northern and western India. The swift Indian counter-strike came after 15 Indian military locations were targetted with drones and missiles by Pakistan.
Loud explosions were reported in Lahore early Thursday near Walton Airport, causing panic among residents. Emergency sirens were heard, and civilians fled buildings in alarm. Flights from Lahore, Sialkot, and Karachi were temporarily halted, though no major civilian casualties or infrastructure damage was confirmed in these areas.
According to official sources, Indian forces employed Israeli-made HAROP drones in the retaliatory action. These loitering munitions struck Pakistani radar installations and HQ-9 air defence systems, which were reportedly supplied by China. The HAROP drones self-destruct on impact, making them effective against fixed defence structures. The Lahore system was among the assets taken out.
Attacks From Pakistan Arrives After Operation Sindoor
The attacks by Pakistan came just hours after India launched Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives in Jammu and Kashmir. Four militants from The Resistance Front, believed to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliate, had opened fire on civilians in Baisaran Valley, a short distance from Srinagar.
Operation Sindoor, which began at 1:05 am on May 7, involved precision airstrikes and missile launches on terror training camps across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Using Rafale jets equipped with SCALP and HAMMER munitions and support from the Indian Army’s surface-to-surface systems, Indian forces reportedly killed over 100 terrorists affiliated with banned outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Key camps in Muridke and other areas were destroyed.
Indian officials stressed that Operation Sindoor had deliberately avoided striking Pakistani military infrastructure and was “measured and focused.” However, they warned that any assault on Indian military targets would be met with an equivalent response.
India Foils Pak Airspace Breach with S-400
That warning was fulfilled when, during the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to breach Indian airspace, targeting defence installations in Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Phalodi, and other locations. These threats were neutralised by India’s Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and the S-400 ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ air defence system, which is capable of detecting and intercepting aerial threats up to 600 km away.
Pakistani claims followed shortly after the strike, suggesting 12 drones were intercepted across cities like Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. ISPR, Pakistan’s military wing, acknowledged four injuries to its personnel in Lahore and one civilian fatality in Sindh’s Miano region.
Meanwhile, the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) has worsened, with Pakistan reportedly stepping up mortar and artillery shelling since the Pahalgam attack. Intense firing in sectors such as Kupwara, Uri, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Mendhar has led to the deaths of 16 civilians, including three women and five children, and one Indian soldier.
India Collects Drone Debris as Proof of PoK Involvement
India has responded proportionately to suppress the cross-border aggression. Officials confirmed that debris from intercepted drones and missiles is being collected as forensic proof of Pakistani involvement in recent attacks, particularly its support for cross-border terrorism through funding and military assistance.
In a briefing on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised that the Indian military remains committed to restraint and non-escalation so long as the same principle is observed by the Pakistani military. He reiterated that Operation Sindoor is not concluded and further action will depend on Pakistan’s next moves.
Despite Pakistan’s accusations that India’s airstrikes were an “act of war” and harmed civilians, the Indian government has released visuals to validate that only terror-linked targets were hit.
