Pakistan’s air defense system intercepted and shot down an Indian drone early Thursday near a naval air base in Lahore, Pakistani police and security officials confirmed. The incident took place as India evacuated thousands of residents from villages near the highly militarized border in the disputed region of Kashmir, amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
This event follows a day of heightened conflict after India launched strikes in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of at least 31 civilians, including women and children, according to Pakistani officials. The violence has deepened since April 22, when militants killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in Indian-administered Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of supporting the militants behind the attack, a charge Islamabad has denied.
Local police official Mohammad Rizwan stated that the drone was downed near Waltan Airport, a small airfield in a residential area of Lahore that also hosts military installations, approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) east of the India border. Media reports indicate that two additional drones were shot down in other cities across Punjab province, of which Lahore is the capital.
Two security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a small Indian drone was intercepted by Pakistan’s air defense system. It remains unclear whether the drone was armed or involved in surveillance activities. The incident has not been independently verified, and Indian officials have not yet issued an immediate comment.
India claimed its strikes on Wednesday targeted at least nine sites in Pakistan believed to be linked to planning terrorist attacks against India. In retaliation, Pakistan’s military said its air force shot down five Indian fighter jets, signaling a serious escalation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate overnight but provided no specific details, fueling concerns over the potential for broader conflict. Meanwhile, across the Line of Control in Indian-administered Kashmir, tens of thousands of civilians spent the night in shelters as authorities evacuated villages near the border, including towns like Uri and Poonch, amid fears of further escalation.
The mounting tensions highlight the fragile and volatile security situation in the region, with both sides poised on the brink of wider conflict.
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