Pakistani drone incursions on Friday triggered border tensions, with one striking Firozpur and injuring a family as Indian forces intercepted the rest.
Tensions escalated sharply along the India-Pakistan border on Friday evening as a wave of Pakistani drones crossed into Indian territory, prompting a robust response from Indian security forces. In a concerning development, one of the drones struck a residential area in Punjab’s Firozpur district, injuring three people. The victims were promptly rushed to a nearby hospital and are currently receiving treatment.
Following the incident, SSP Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, stated, “We received reports of three people being injured, suffering from burn wounds. Doctors are currently treating them. The majority of the drones have been neutralised by the army…”
Speaking to the media, Dr. Kamal Bagi provided an update on the family injured in the Pakistani drone attack, stating, “Three people were injured due to a drone bomb. One woman is in critical condition with severe burns, while the other two have sustained lesser burns. We have immediately begun their treatment. All three are from the same family.”
This attack comes just one day after Pakistan’s failed attempt to target Indian military infrastructure along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. Despite these persistent provocations, Indian security forces managed to thwart Pakistan’s efforts with a robust air defense response. The situation remains tense, with heightened security measures across affected regions.
On Friday, drone sightings were reported across multiple sectors, including Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot. Red streaks and explosions were visible in the Samba sector of Jammu as India’s air defense intercepted several Pakistani drones amid a blackout enforced across numerous regions. As a precautionary measure, a complete blackout has been imposed in several areas, including Akhnoor and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Ambala and Panchkula in Haryana, Firozpur in Punjab, and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Residents have been urged to stay indoors as sirens continue to sound across the border states.
Pakistan violated the ceasefire once again, with reports confirming multiple airspace violations and drone intrusions on the night of May 7 and 8. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, during a press briefing on Friday, revealed that between 300 and 400 drones had been deployed across 36 locations, several of which were shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods. “The drones appear to be Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models,” she said, indicating that the primary objective of the drone incursions was to test India’s air defense systems and gather intelligence.
“The Pakistani army not only violated Indian airspace but also fired heavy-caliber weapons along the Line of Control,” Colonel Qureshi continued. “The drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations, with the Indian armed forces neutralizing many of them.”
This series of provocations follows India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday. The operation was a direct response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed several Indian soldiers.
As the situation continues to unfold, the Indian government has strongly condemned Pakistan’s actions and lodged a formal protest. Security forces along the border remain on high alert as the conflict shows no signs of de-escalating.
