Barely 24 hours after India flattened terror launchpads in Bahawalpur and PoK, Pakistan retaliated with a deadly barrage of missiles and drones, triggering chaos across the northern belt of India. Civilian casualties were reported in Poonch as shelling intensified along the Line of Control. India’s air defences, including the S-400 system, sprang into action, intercepting eight incoming missiles, but not before panic spread through cities like Bikaner, Samba, and Chandigarh.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, May 8
Tensions between India and Pakistan surged late Wednesday night as Pakistan launched a series of missile, drone, and artillery attacks targeting multiple locations across Jammu — less than 24 hours after India conducted precision airstrikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor.
According to Indian security agencies, Pakistan fired eight surface-to-surface missiles, all of which were successfully intercepted mid-air by India’s advanced S-400 air defence system, averting casualties and damage. The escalation follows India’s targeted strikes on nine terror launchpads, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur, where ten relatives of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and four of his top aides were reportedly killed.
Pakistan retaliated with intense shelling across the Line of Control, especially in the Poonch district, resulting in the deaths of 12 civilians and injuries to over 50. Explosions were reported in Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and Pathankot, leading to air raid sirens and mandatory blackouts in Jammu, Bikaner, and Chandigarh to prevent aerial targeting.
🚨THIS IS AN ACT OF WAR!
The sky over Jammu turned red as waves of Pakistani drones launched an attack.
All drones were successfully destroyed by Indian defence systems
Our defence systems are 13 times stronger than Pakistan’s. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/LMbsywcGEM
— BALA (@erbmjha) May 8, 2025
READ: What is S-400 Defence System used by India to thwart Pakistan’s escalation?
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri dismissed Pakistan’s claim of downing five Indian fighter jets, calling it part of a long pattern of misinformation.
“This is a country that began its journey with a lie in 1947, denying involvement in Kashmir’s invasion even as its army marched in. That legacy of deceit persists,” Misri said.
India also condemned Pakistan’s glorification of terrorists, referencing the state funerals given to militants neutralized in the Indian strikes.
“We see them as terrorists. That Pakistan honors them only reinforces the suspicions of the global community,” a government source noted.
The Indian strikes were in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians, including one Nepali national, dead. Defence sources said the Indian Air Force targeted critical terror infrastructure and launchpads used to infiltrate armed militants across the LoC.
Visuals from Jammu earlier this evening.
India has neutralised the attack on vital installations and military stations in Jammu.
This could also be a ploy by Pakistan to identify India’s Air Defence capability and response mechanism. pic.twitter.com/kg2sg7UhJF
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 8, 2025
Pakistan’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes extended into Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir, triggering widespread blackouts and activation of India’s defensive protocols. Sources say an F-16 fighter jet from Pakistan was downed by Indian forces, although official confirmation is pending.
Hours earlier, India announced it had thwarted Pakistan’s attempts to target 15 Indian cities with coordinated drone and missile strikes. In a significant move, a Pakistani air defence installation in Lahore was reportedly destroyed.
Early Wednesday, India launched 24 missiles in 25 minutes at nine identified terror bases in Pakistan and PoK, following the April 22 terror attack in Anantnag. Civil defence drills were also carried out across 244 districts to ensure national preparedness.
🔴 LIVE UPDATES — OPERATION SINDOOR
- 21:51 IST — Air raid sirens activated in Chandigarh; blackout ordered.
- 21:46 IST — Delhi government cancels all official leaves amid emergency.
- 21:29 IST — Bikaner imposes full blackout.
- 21:27 IST — Missiles intercepted near Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia.
- 21:26 IST — Drones intercepted over Jaisalmer; aerial flashes and explosions visible.
- 21:14 IST — Fresh ceasefire violations reported along LoC; Indian retaliation in progress.
- 21:10 IST — Defence sources confirm: “All threats from Pakistan neutralised so far.”
- 21:05 IST — Blackout in effect across Samba; sirens echo across the region.
- 20:56 IST — All eight incoming missiles destroyed mid-air by Indian air defence systems.
