Have India and Pakistan started a drone war? | Drone Strikes News

May 8, 2025 - By 4idiotz

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Article Summary

Pakistan’s military claims to have shot down 25 Indian drones overnight on May 8, 2025, over several major cities, including Lahore and Karachi. These attacks resulted in one civilian death and five injuries. India later admitted to targeting Pakistan’s air defense radars, claiming that it successfully neutralized one system in Lahore. This latest escalation comes after a series of tensions between the two countries, following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April 2025.

Original Post

Pakistan’s military said on Thursday morning that the country’s air defence system had brought down 25 Indian drones overnight over some of the country’s chief cities, including Lahore and Karachi. At least one civilian has died, and five people were wounded, it said.

India’s Defence Ministry confirmed hours later that it had targeted Pakistan’s air defence radars and claimed that it was able to “neutralize” one defence system in Lahore. It said Pakistan had attempted to attack India and Indian-administered Kashmir with drones and missiles overnight, but that these had been shot down.

The drone attacks represent the latest escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours, a day after India launched deadly missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least 31 people, according to Islamabad. Those were the most extensive Indian strikes ever on Pakistan outside the four wars that they have fought. Heavy artillery shelling from both sides overnight caused border communities in the disputed Kashmir region to flee.

Simmering tensions erupted on April 22 after gunmen killed 25 tourists and a local pony rider in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for backing fighters who claimed the attack. Islamabad has denied any involvement.

What happened?

In a briefing on Thursday, Pakistani army spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said the country came under attack from a wave of drones overnight, targeting many of the most populated cities, including Karachi and Lahore.

Pakistan’s air defence system intercepted and brought down these drones, he said. Pakistan’s military said 25 such drones were jammed and shot out of the sky.

The falling debris killed one civilian and injured another person in the southern Sindh province, while an additional drone targeted and wounded four soldiers in a military installation in Lahore, Chaudhry said in the news briefing. Partial damage to “military equipment” was recorded in that latter incident.

Chaudhry described the drone attacks as an act of “naked aggression” and a “serious provocation”, and pledged that Pakistan was ready to retaliate.

“It appears that India has apparently lost the plot and, rather than going on a path of rationality, is further escalating in a highly charged environment. Pakistan Armed Forces remain fully vigilant to any type of threat,” he said.

What has India said?

Hours after the drone attacks, India accepted responsibility – but insisted it had been provoked.

On the night of May 7-8, India’s Ministry of Defence said, Pakistani forces attempted to “engage a number of military targets” in multiple areas in northern and western India and Indian-administered Kashmir using “drones and missiles”. These were shot down by India’s air defence systems, the ministry said.

“Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan,” the ministry’s statement said. “It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.”

Pakistan has not commented on Indian claims that it attempted to strike India with drones and missiles.

Harop drones — A picture taken on June 21, 2011, at the Bourget airport on the second day of the International Paris Air Show, shows an Israeli UCAV IAI Harop drone [Pierre Verdy/AFP]

What This Means for You

If you live in or near the disputed Kashmir region, these escalating tensions could have a direct impact on your safety and security. It is crucial to stay informed about the situation and have a plan in place to protect yourself and your loved ones.
As a citizen of a country allied with either India or Pakistan, these tensions could have broader implications for global security and international relations. Encourage your government to work towards diplomatic resolutions and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
As a concerned global citizen, you can contribute to reducing tensions by advocating for dialogue, understanding, and peaceful conflict resolution between India and Pakistan. Educate yourself about the history and complexities of the Kashmir issue, and share your knowledge with others to promote empathy and informed dialogue.
With the constant threat of escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, it is essential to keep watch on the development of the situation, which could have catastrophic consequences not only for the region but for the entire world.