Pakistan Hid Behind Civilian Flights While Launching Attacks on India, Says Government

On Friday, India accused Pakistan of exploiting civilian air traffic to mask a series of military assaults on key locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan the night before. Despite launching an offensive, Pakistan kept its airspace operational, according to Indian authorities.

During the late hours of May 8, Indian defence forces thwarted renewed Pakistani efforts to strike strategic military locations using drones and missiles. The attacks, which spanned regions like Jammu and Pathankot, came after India successfully neutralised previous intrusion attempts across 15 sites in the north and west, escalating concerns over a potential wider conflict.

Indian military officials stated that Pakistan deployed between 300 to 400 drones across 36 strategic points, stretching from Leh to Sir Creek, aiming to damage Indian military infrastructure. Many of these aerial threats were intercepted and neutralised using a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic defence methods, the military confirmed.

In one specific incident, a Pakistani armed UAV targeted the Bhatinda military station but failed to cause damage. In a retaliatory move, India deployed its own armed drones to hit four Pakistani air defence locations, including one strike that took out an air defence radar system.

Reports of drones crossing the border prompted blackouts in several urban and rural areas across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan as a precautionary measure.

“Military stations at Jammu and Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J and K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities…," said a late-night press release from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

According to defence sources, Indian air defence units intercepted at least eight Pakistani missiles aimed at the border areas, including the sensitive Jammu Airport in Satwari. These missiles were reportedly targeting critical zones such as Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia.

The new wave of attacks, accompanied by intense shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), followed India's own operations earlier in the day that saw Pakistani air defence systems struck in multiple cities. One such installation in Lahore was reported to have been “neutralised”.

A day earlier, on May 7, India executed precise missile attacks under ‘Operation Sindoor’ against nine terror-related targets located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Reaffirming India’s stance, the Ministry of Defence stated that any hostile action on Indian military infrastructure would receive a “suitable response”.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri added that it is now up to Pakistan to decide if it wishes to ease the growing tensions, asserting that India’s actions were a response to the “original escalation” caused by the Pahalgam massacre.