Pakistan fired 300-400 'Turkish' drones, tried to infiltrate 36 locations

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated significantly on the night of Thursday, May 8, and into the early hours of Friday, May 9, following a series of cross-border military confrontations involving drones and missiles. India reported that it had "neutralised" Pakistani drone and missile strikes aimed at several military installations, including key sites in Jammu and Pathankot.

This followed earlier successful interceptions by Indian forces at 15 different locations across the northern and western regions, as the situation between the two countries grew increasingly volatile, sparking fears of a broader conflict.

"On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations. The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means," said Col Qureshi.

Pakistani army suffered heavy losses in Indian retaliation," said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

Pakistan is using civilian airlines as a 'shield'

"Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 8.30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan," said Wing Commander Singh.

"The screenshot we just showed, it shows the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector. As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore," she added.

'Some losses and injuries to Indian army'

"In response to the Pakistani attack, armed drones were launched at four air defence sites in Pakistan. One of the drones was able to destroy an AD radar. Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the line of control using heavy-calibre artillery guns and armed drones... which resulted in some losses and injuries to Indian army personnel. Pakistan army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory fire," says Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

Preliminary reports indicate that the drones are Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models. Later that night, Pakistan made another attempt to target the Bathinda military station using an armed UAV, said Colonel Qureshi.

"India's steadfast unity is itself a challenge to Pakistan," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The services of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor have been suspended till further directions, he told media.

"Pakistan will not succeed," says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as he points to Pakistani attack on religious places in India. "The Gurudwara in Poonch was attacked by Pakistan, and people lost their lives," he added.