Akhnoor (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on Thursday as Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, prompting a counter-response from Indian Air Defence forces.
Blackouts were enforced in multiple regions across the Jammu Division, including Kishtwar, Akhnoor, and Jammu city, amid air raid sirens sounding across districts.
This comes a day after India launched Operation Sindoor, a precision strike campaign against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed the developments at a media briefing, stating,
“Any further action by Pakistan is escalation and is being responded to appropriately… Our response is targeted, precise, controlled, and measured. No military targets were selected—only terrorist infrastructure.”
Sources from an all-party meeting confirmed that over 100 terrorists were eliminated in India’s strikes early Wednesday.
The Ministry of Defence reported that on the night of May 7, Pakistan attempted to target Indian military sites across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles. Locations included Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Bhuj. These attacks were intercepted by India’s Integrated Counter-UAS and Air Defence systems, with debris now being recovered.
In a fresh counterattack, Indian forces neutralised an Air Defence system in Lahore and struck additional air defence radars and systems inside Pakistan Thursday morning.
Pakistan has also escalated artillery shelling across the LoC, using mortars and heavy-caliber artillery in sectors like Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri. The cross-border fire has killed 16 Indian civilians, including three women and five children.
The Indian Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided Pakistan respects the same.