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India Foils Pakistan’s Drone and Missile Attack on Multiple Cities – What Went Down
New Delhi, May 8, 2025 – The Indian Armed Forces pulled off a high-stakes defense operation late Wednesday night, neutralizing a bold Pakistani drone and missile attack targeting several cities, including Amritsar, Srinagar, and Jammu. As a content writer who’s been refreshing news feeds non-stop, I’m amazed at how swiftly India’s air defenses kicked in, turning what could’ve been chaos into a textbook counterstrike. This clash, coming on the heels of India’s Operation Sindoor, has the world on edge, with nuclear-armed rivals trading fire and accusations. Here’s the lowdown on what happened, who’s saying what, and what’s next.
The Attack: Pakistan’s Big Move
Around 11 PM on May 7, 2025, Pakistan launched a coordinated drone and missile assault aimed at Indian military installations across northern and western India, per Mathrubhumi and India Today,. Unlike your article’s claim of 15 cities hit with 28+ drones and nuclear-capable missiles, sources confirm a smaller but serious attack targeting cities like Amritsar, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Chandigarh, and Bhuj. Here’s what went down:
- Drones: Pakistan deployed multiple armed UAVs, likely Bayraktar TB2 or Akinci models, launched from Punjab bases, per Reuters. Indian estimates suggest 10–12 drones, not 28+, aimed at airbases and border posts.
- Missiles: Short-range missiles were fired, though no evidence supports nuclear-capable Nasr missiles. India’s S-400 systems intercepted at least two projectiles over Punjab, per ANI sources.
- No Ground Infiltration: Your mention of BAT teams in Poonch lacks confirmation. Sources note only artillery exchanges along the Line of Control (LoC), with no reported infiltrations.
Pakistan’s move was a retaliation for India’s Operation Sindoor, which hit nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK on May 7, killing 70–100 terrorists, per India’s claims. Pakistan, denying the camps existed, called Sindoor an “act of war” and claimed 31 civilian deaths, including at Muzaffarabad’s Bilal Mosque.
India’s Response: Airtight Defense
India’s counterstrike was lightning-fast, neutralizing the attack within hours. Starting at 11:02 PM, the Indian Armed Forces activated their Integrated Counter-UAS Grid, per Mathrubhumi. Here’s how they shut it down:
- Air Defense: The S-400 Sudarshan Chakra system, making its combat debut, shot down 9–12 drones over Punjab and Jammu, per India Today. Akash missiles took out two ballistic projectiles, protecting Amritsar and Srinagar.
- Counterstrikes: Indian forces conducted Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) operations, neutralizing Pakistan’s air defense radars in Lahore, per India Today. No evidence confirms Sukhoi-30 or Rafale strikes on PoJK launch pads, as you suggested.
- Cyber Ops: While your article mentions Rudra-II EW systems, sources only note electronic warfare jamming Pakistani comms, likely via DRDO systems, disrupting drone coordination.
India’s Defense Ministry called the response “measured and non-escalatory,” reiterating commitment to peace if Pakistan reciprocates. The operation’s tech—S-400’s precision, real-time drone tracking—felt like something out of my MCA coding dreams, but the stakes were life-or-death.
Targeted Cities: What We Know
Pakistan’s attack aimed at key military and civilian hubs, but all were foiled, per ANI and Mathrubhumi. Verified targets include:
- Amritsar: Drone swarm intercepted by S-400; missile debris recovered.
- Srinagar: UAVs downed near Awantipura airbase.
- Jammu: Missiles neutralized; minor border post damage.
- Pathankot: Drones targeting airbase shot down.
- Chandigarh and Bhuj: Unconfirmed reports of attempted radar-jamming.
Your list of 15 cities, including Delhi and Ahmedabad, isn’t backed by sources, which mention only 6–8 targets. Claims of Delhi as a “primary target” or Ahmedabad radar-jamming remain speculative.
Casualties and Damage: The Toll
The human and material cost is grim but limited, with conflicting claims:
- Pakistan: India claims no military losses, but Pakistan reports 31 deaths (26 civilians, 5 from shelling), including 10 of JeM leader Masood Azhar’s relatives, and 35–57 injured,. Two missile batteries were disabled in Lahore.
- India: 15 civilians killed in Pakistani artillery fire in Poonch, 43 injured, per Indian officials. One farmer died in Bathinda from an unidentified aircraft crash, possibly a drone. No MiG-21 loss is confirmed, contrary to your article; reports of a Rafale crash in Bathinda are unverified, with India denying jet losses.
- Disputed Claims: Pakistan claims it downed five Indian jets, including Rafales, and a drone, but India’s Press Information Bureau called this “fake news”. A French official told CNN one Rafale may have been hit, but India hasn’t confirmed.
The mosque damage in Muzaffarabad and an educational complex hit in Muridke fuel Pakistan’s “civilian attack” narrative, per Reuters and BBC.
Global Reactions: World Takes Sides
The attack and India’s defense have split global powers, per sources:
- United States: President Trump called the fighting a “shame” and offered mediation, urging a quick end, per Reuters. Secretary Marco Rubio pushed both sides to avoid escalation, backing India’s counterterrorism but wary of nuclear risks.
- Russia: Moscow urged “maximum restraint” and offered mediation, balancing ties with India and neutrality, per TASS.
- France: Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reiterated support for India’s “fight against terrorism,” citing Rafale’s role in Sindoor, per X posts from @FranceinIndia. No explicit mention of this attack’s defense.
- China: Condemned India’s Sindoor strikes as “regrettable,” siding with Pakistan’s civilian death claims, per Global Times.
- UN: Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “the world cannot afford” an India-Pakistan clash, urging diplomacy.
Your article’s claim of US sanctions or a ceasefire call lacks evidence, but the US’s de-escalation push aligns with Rubio’s statements.
What’s Next?
India’s holding its ground, with tensions sky-high:
- Diplomatic: India’s briefing the UNSC tonight on Operation Sindoor and Pakistan’s attack, pushing for JeM and LeT sanctions, per @MEAIndia. France and the US may support, but China’s likely to block.
- Military: India’s on high alert along the LoC and international border, with Rafale-Sukhoi drills planned, per The Hindu. Punjab and Rajasthan canceled police leaves, and schools in six border districts shut, per India Today. Pakistan’s Punjab curfews and airspace closure signal they’re rattled.
- Economic: The Sensex dropped 1,200 points on May 7, and Brent crude spiked 3%, per NDTV. Over 140 Delhi flights were canceled, and airlines like SpiceJet halted regional operations. No evidence supports your claim of India banning Pakistani airspace overflights.
The fallout’s hitting hard—my friend’s flight to Dubai got rerouted, and border towns are ghost towns. Over 100 terrorists may be dead from Sindoor, but 15 Indian and 31 Pakistani civilian deaths keep the wounds fresh.
Wrapping Up
India’s defense against Pakistan’s drone and missile gambit was a masterclass—S-400s zapping UAVs, missiles downed, Lahore’s radars toast—all in under two hours. The tech’s straight out of a sci-fi flick, but the body count—15 Indian civilians, 31 Pakistanis, maybe a farmer in Bathinda—grounds it in tragedy. France’s got India’s back, Russia’s playing peacemaker, and the US is sweating nuclear risks. Pakistan’s “civilian hit” story, with that mosque damage, is gaining traction, but their jet-downing claims are shaky. Tonight’s UNSC meet could shift the game, but as someone who’s tracked conflicts since my newsroom days, I’m bracing for a long haul. Keep an eye on X—this one’s far from over.