Pakistan Downs 77 Indian Drones Amid Rising Tensions
The Pakistan Army has successfully intercepted and destroyed 77 Indian drones, primarily Israeli-made Harop models, aimed at civilian and military targets, Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar confirmed on Friday.
According to the statement, 29 drones were downed between Wednesday and Thursday evening, while an additional 48 were neutralized overnight and into Friday. Security sources also reported that five civilians were killed and seven others injured due to unprovoked Indian shelling on residential areas along the Line of Control (LoC), specifically in Hajeera, Forward Kahuta, and Khuiratta. Heavy artillery strikes caused significant casualties and damage.
Pakistan’s military responded forcefully, and in one notable instance, Indian troops reportedly raised a white flag near the Dharamsal 2 post in the Battal sector after sustained retaliation.
Tensions have sharply escalated since a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan-based elements but did not provide evidence. Pakistan denied any involvement.
In retaliation, India imposed a series of measures, including closing the Wagah-Attari border, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, and revoking Pakistani visas. Pakistan responded by sealing its side of the Wagah crossing and warned that blocking water flow would be viewed as an act of war.
Hostilities intensified on May 6–7 when India launched coordinated drone, missile, and air strikes on targets in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), resulting in at least 31 civilian deaths and 71 injuries, according to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Pakistan retaliated by downing five Indian fighter jets—three Rafale jets, one MiG-29, one SU-series jet—and a Heron drone, in various regions including Bhatinda, Jammu, and Srinagar. India has yet to confirm these losses, though a French intelligence official told CNN that at least one Rafale was downed, marking the aircraft’s first-ever loss in combat.
The Harop drone, produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, is a loitering munition that can seek, identify, and destroy targets autonomously by crashing into them. Equipped with advanced sensors and stealth technology, it is designed for precision strikes.
Analysts believe India’s use of drones is a calculated response following the loss of five warplanes, aiming to minimize risks to its pilots while maintaining offensive pressure. However, military experts warn that Pakistan’s robust air defense has proven effective, further complicating the conflict dynamics.
Some defense analysts see this confrontation as a testing ground for Chinese and Western military technologies, particularly in light of Pakistan’s deployment of Chinese J-10C jets, viewed as a counter to India’s Rafale fleet.