New Delhi | India on Thursday said it foiled Pakistan military's attempts to target military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country using missiles and drones as tensions between the two neighbours mounted amid fears of a wider conflict.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.
In its response this morning, India launched kamikaze drones and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.
The defence ministry said the Pakistani military attempted last night to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.
The Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan and "neutralised" an air defence system in Lahore, it said.
The Pakistani attempt came after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
"On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in northern and western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles," the ministry said.
"These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) grid and air defence systems," it said in a statement.
"The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," it added.
It said "Indian armed forces this morning targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan."
"Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the ministry said.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty and the nation is fully prepared for such responses.
He said India has always played the role of a responsible nation exercising great restraint and it believes in resolving issues through dialogue.
"However, if anyone tries to take advantage of this restraint, they will face quality action," he said, assuring the nation that no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty.
"We are fully prepared for such responsible responses in the future as well," he said.
The defence ministry said India's anti-terror response on early Wednesday was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" and that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted.
"It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response," the ministry said.
It said Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing," the ministry said.
Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt, it said.
"Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," the ministry said.
In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out the missile strikes on the terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Wednesday that India decided to carry out the "proportionate" strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to justice as there was "no demonstrable step" from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.
New Delhi | Most foreign airlines are avoiding Pakistan airspace in view of the high tensions between Indian and Pakistan, and to comply with airspace curbs.
India has closed its airspace for Pakistan airlines from April 30 while Pakistan barred Indian carriers from using its airspace. The developments followed the Pahalgam terror attack that killed at least 26 people on April 22.
German major Lufthansa Group on Thursday said it is continuing to monitor the current developments closely.
"Due to the current situation, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are avoiding the airspace of Pakistan until further notice. This will result in longer flight times on some routes to Asia, including, but not limited to, India.
"We regret any inconvenience caused by the resulting delays and kindly ask all passengers to check their flight status in the app or on the website before departure," it said in a statement.
Lufthansa operates 64 weekly flights to 5 Indian cities.
British carrier Virgin Atlantic said it has been closely monitoring developments between India and Pakistan and following an escalation in the region, "we have made the decision to avoid Pakistani airspace, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of our London to Delhi flights".
The airline will continue to assess the situation and provide updates on any further operational changes as necessary, the carrier said in a statement.
Virgin Atlantic has 35 weekly flights connecting Indian cities.
"Safety and security are always our highest priorities and we continuously assess and adjust our operations accordingly," British Airways said in a statement. The airline has 56 weekly flights to India.
In retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces, under Operation Sindoor, on early Wednesday, carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Islamabad/Lahore | The Pakistan Army on Thursday said three people were killed and eight others, including four soldiers, were injured in drone attacks and claimed that armed forces shot down several UAVs launched by India, as tension continued between the neighbours.
In New Delhi, Indian military officials said the Indian armed forces foiled attempts by the Pakistani military to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India last night and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.
Addressing a press conference with Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accused India of attacking Pakistan with several drones.
He said Pakistan has so far limited its response. However, he warned that Pakistan keeps its right to respond.
Lt Gen Chaudhry claimed that drones were neutralised in Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Miano, Karachi, Chhor, Rawalpindi, and Attock.
He claimed that 29 Israeli-made Harop drones were neutralised by the Pakistani Army's soft kill (technical) and hard kill (weapons).
"Three civilians were killed and eight others, including four army personnel, injured in these drone attacks,” he said.
Dar claimed that one drone targeted the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
An official told PTI that at least four drones hit the Lahore cantonment area.
The armed forces opened fire and played a siren, causing panic among the residents of Lahore's border areas and Defence House Authority, the official added.
"No drone has crashed in Islamabad,” Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said in a post on X.
The US Consulate in Lahore on Thursday issued a security alert, directing all consulate personnel to shelter-in-place due to reports of drone explosions and possible airspace incursions in and near Lahore.
"US citizens who find themselves in an area of active conflict should leave if they can do so safely. If it is not safe to leave, they should shelter-in-place," it said.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government announced the closure of all educational institutions across the province till Sunday. The Maryam Nawaz government has also declared an emergency in all hospitals of the province, allocating 50 per cent of the total beds to meet any emergency in the wake of tensions between India and Pakistan.
The authorities in Punjab have been directed to ensure availability of sufficient blood bags, along with an updated list of donors, adequate supplies of medicines, IV fluids, vaccines, surgical/disposables/medical devices and gases.
Flight operations at Karachi Airport will remain suspended till midnight tonight due to operational reasons, the Pakistan Airports Authority said in a statement.
Addressing the National Assembly earlier, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar warned that Pakistan would respond in a "befitting manner" to the recent attacks.
Tarar said the drones shot down by the armed forces were “war trophy”, which will “be kept in museums”.
Ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out precise missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’ in a strong response to the terror attack in Pahalgam.
