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Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise as Indian security forces on Friday night successfully stopped drone attacks aimed at Srinagar airport and the Awantipora air base in South Kashmir, defence officials confirmed. These attempted attacks came just one day after India defended against similar drone and missile threats from Pakistan targeting key military sites.
The skies over several parts of Jammu and Kashmir lit up as Indian forces intercepted enemy drones, with sirens and loud blasts heard in multiple areas.
Drone Sightings Reported Across Kashmir and Punjab
Apart from Srinagar and Awantipora, drones were also spotted in Baramulla district in North Kashmir, as well as in Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab.
Officials said that Indian defence teams quickly launched countermeasures to engage and neutralize the drones. In Baramulla, witnesses saw bright flashes in the sky as drones were shot down.
“The sky was lit up in Baramulla district as the Indian military shot down Pakistani drones,” said an official involved in the operation.
In Jammu and Samba, as well as Udhampur and Nagrota, drones were also intercepted. In some places, the attacks triggered sirens and even temporary blackouts.
Public Alert Issued in Srinagar
In the capital city of Srinagar, mosque loudspeakers were used to inform residents about the situation and to urge them to switch off all lights as a safety precaution.
“In Srinagar, mosque loudspeakers were used to convey to locals to switch off their lights as a precautionary measure,” the official said, adding that this was done to reduce the chances of drone visibility or targeting at night.
Sirens, Blasts, and Blackouts Create Panic
As drones entered Indian airspace, sirens were sounded in parts of Jammu and southern Kashmir. People reported hearing multiple blasts and noticed areas falling into darkness.
“Earlier in the evening, blasts were heard and sirens sounded in the Jammu region and south Kashmir as many parts of Jammu and Kashmir plunged into darkness,” officials confirmed.
The sudden alerts and blackouts sparked concern among locals already on edge due to recent military activity and heightened security measures.
Background: India’s Precision Strikes on Terror Camps
These drone attacks follow India’s precision air strikes launched on Wednesday under Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes were in direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people—mostly tourists—were brutally killed by terrorists.
“Tension between the two neighbours soared after the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam,” the officials stated.
The operation was India’s strongest counter-response yet, and Pakistani military activity has since escalated, including missile and drone incursions into Indian territory.
