India targets Pakistan's air defence radars, 'neutralises' system at Lahore

In a major escalation of cross-border hostilities, Pakistan's air defence units stationed in Sialkot and Lahore suffered significant damage on Thursday following coordinated drone strikes reported across 10 Pakistani cities, sources confirmed. The attack came just a day after India executed 'Operation Sindoor', targeting terror camps inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

According to intelligence sources, Pakistan's Chinese-developed HQ-9 missile defence systems, deployed in Lahore, were hit during the strikes, leaving the city vulnerable and effectively defenceless against aerial threats. The HQ-9 system, modelled on Russia’s S-300, is touted as one of Pakistan's most advanced air defence capabilities.

The wave of drone attacks was not confined to Lahore. Strikes were also reported in Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Karachi, Chor, Miano, and Attock, sparking widespread panic. In Lahore, sirens blared as multiple explosions near Walton airport sent residents fleeing their homes. Videos and local media reports captured scenes of chaos as plumes of smoke filled the skies above Pakistan’s commercial hub.

Local reports said flight operations at Sialkot, Karachi, and Lahore airports were temporarily suspended as a precaution. Police sources told Samaa TV that one of the drones, measuring between 5 to 6 feet, was reportedly neutralised through jamming technology. So far, no civilian casualties or damage to non-military infrastructure have been reported.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Precision Strike Against Terror Camps
Wednesday’s air and missile strikes, carried out jointly by the Indian Army and Air Force under Operation Sindoor, demolished nine key terror camps linked to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfits. Sources said that 80-90 terrorists were killed in the precision operation that spanned both Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

While Rafale jets of the Indian Air Force launched air-to-surface missiles, the Army deployed surface-to-surface weaponry to obliterate the identified targets. The Indian government clarified that no Pakistani military infrastructure was harmed and emphasized that sites were chosen carefully to avoid civilian casualties.

However, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes, calling them an "act of war" by India. While India released visual proof confirming the destruction of terror facilities, Islamabad claimed that the strikes killed civilians, including women and children — an allegation New Delhi has categorically denied.

In a retaliatory move, the Pakistani army resorted to artillery shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, resulting in the death of 15 Indian civilians.