Pakistan’s Military Shoots Down 25 Israeli-Made Drones Launched by India
On Thursday, Pakistan reported shooting down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones launched by India into its airspace, following Indian missile strikes on Wednesday targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
The Pakistani military confirmed interceptions in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, the latter home to the army’s headquarters.
One drone struck a military target near Lahore, injuring four Pakistani army personnel, said military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. He said:
Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistani airspace... [India] will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.
An Indian government source confirmed at least one Israeli-manufactured drone was downed but labeled Pakistan’s claim of 25 as propaganda.
The source noted the drones, supplied by the Adani Group in partnership with Israel’s Elbit Systems, are part of India’s $2.9 billion military imports from Israel over the past decade.
The Harop, a 2.5-meter “suicide” drone, has seen use in conflicts like Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Retaliatory Strikes Intensify
India’s defense ministry reported that Pakistan attempted attacks on military targets in northern and western India on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, which were “neutralized” by air defense systems.
India responded by targeting Pakistani air defense radars on Thursday, asserting its actions matched Pakistan’s intensity.
Pakistan reported 31 civilian deaths and 50 injuries from Wednesday’s strikes and Kashmir shelling, while India cited 13 civilian deaths and 59 injuries.
Rhetoric Amid Restraint Calls
Nuclear-armed since the 1990s, India and Pakistan have clashed repeatedly since their 1947 independence, fighting three wars, two over Kashmir.
Though fears of escalation loom, both sides’ sources called the situation a “rhetoric war” unlikely to worsen.
The U.S., China, and Russia urged de-escalation.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped the nations could “work it out,” while Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar vowed a “very, very firm response” to further attacks.
Civilian and Economic Toll
Pakistan’s economy reeled, with its share index dropping 6.3%.
Flight operations were suspended in Lahore, Karachi, and Sialkot.
India reported panic buying in Punjab and conducted blackout drills. In Kashmir, a key tourist cable car closed, and hotels were evacuated.