India Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Lahore Amid Rising Tensions

India has launched retaliatory drone strikes on Lahore and Sialkot following Pakistan’s missile and drone attacks across multiple border states. The dramatic surge in military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors comes after Pakistan’s aggressive actions targeting key civilian and military infrastructure in India.

The strikes by Pakistan, which occurred late on Thursday, targeted several high-value locations, including the Jammu airport, an army installation in Udhampur, and strategic zones in Akhnoor, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and other border regions in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

According to reports, India's sophisticated air defence systems, including the S-400 missile defence system, played a crucial role in intercepting and neutralising these threats. Two Pakistani drones were shot down near Jammu University, and additional drone sightings were reported near Kutch.

In response, India launched a series of retaliatory drone attacks this morning, including strikes on Pakistan’s air defence systems in Lahore. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Indian forces successfully targeted Pakistani air defence radars, neutralising one of the key defence systems in Lahore. This marks the second major escalation from Pakistan in just 24 hours, following India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Pakistan’s attempts to retaliate came after India’s early-morning missile strikes on May 7-8, targeting nine terror sites in PoK and Pakistan. The Indian Armed Forces thwarted Pakistan’s missile and drone strikes aimed at multiple military targets in northern and western India, including cities like Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Chandigarh. The Indian response was swift and decisive, with Pakistan’s attempts to strike military installations being neutralised by India’s air defence systems.

In the wake of these developments, several regions in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan were placed under blackout as a security precaution. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), former J&K DGP SP Vaid confirmed that the area had experienced loud explosions and suspected missile strikes, but reassured the public with messages of support for the Indian Armed Forces.

As of now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being continuously briefed on the situation, with diplomatic and military leaders on both sides expressing concerns over the possibility of a larger conflict. The global community remains on edge, urging both nations to exercise restraint and avoid a full-scale war.