India stuck Islamabad retaliating Pak

Pakistani Air Force pilot captured in rajasthan

New Delhi: India struck Pakistan’s capital Islamabad as well as Lahore and Sialkot late on Thursday after thwarting multiple attacks on Indian cities, including Jammu, Jaisalmer and Pathankot.

A Pakistani Air Force pilot has reportedly been captured alive by Indian forces in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on Thursday evening.

The capture took place amid heightened cross-border tensions following Pakistan’s attempt to strike 15 Indian cities with drones and missiles.

Sources within the Indian intelligence community confirmed the detention, stating that the pilot had ejected from an aircraft that was attempting to violate Indian airspace.

The reported capture comes hours after multiple Pakistani missiles were intercepted over Jammu, and defence sources accused the Pakistani military of resorting to “Hamas-style tactics” by launching cheap rockets across the Line of Control.

Jammu under attack

Indian air defence units successfully intercepted at least eight missiles fired by Pakistan towards the border areas of Jammu, including the strategically important Jammu Airport at Satwari on Thursday evening, defence sources said here.

Drawing a parallel to the tactics of the Palestinian Hamas terror group, the sources said all "cheap" rockets directed at the Jammu region were successfully intercepted and neutralised by Air Defence Units.

The missiles were aimed at key locations, including Satwari (Jammu Airport), Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia.

The sources said that the Pakistani Army has been operating in a manner akin to a terror organisation like Hamas and referred to a meeting between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Hamas operatives in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir last month.

There were also potential sightings of hostile drones along India's western border, which were successfully thwarted.

A sudden power outage plunged Jammu city into darkness following two loud explosions, likely resulting from the interception of intruding drones. Immediately after, sirens echoed throughout the city, alerting residents to seek shelter.

The aerial objects had attempted to strike the strategic Jammu airport and its surrounding areas, which house Army, IAF, and paramilitary installations.

The sources confirmed the activation of air defence protocols, resulting in the downing of several Pakistani drones by the Indian Air Defence System.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that one of the drones was seen falling outside the airport premises.

Residents of Jammu city were seen perching from their balconies to observe the aerial activity, including flares lighting up the night sky.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.

Target Pakistan

Indian armed forces this morning 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. It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the Defence ministry said.

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty and the nation is fully prepared for such responses.

He said India has always played the role of a responsible nation exercising great restraint and it believes in resolving issues through dialogue.

"However, if anyone tries to take advantage of this restraint, they will face quality action," he said, assuring the nation that no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty.

"We are fully prepared for such responsible responses in the future as well," he said.

Focused response

The defence ministry said India's anti-terror response on early Wednesday was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" and that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted.

"It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response," the ministry said.

It said Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing," the ministry said.

Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt, it said.

The defence ministry said the Pakistani military attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj on Wednesday night.

Choice of de-escalation is with Pakistan: Misri

The choice of de-escalation is with Pakistan as it escalated the situation with the Pahalgam terror attack and India only responded to it through Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday.

His comments at a media briefing came amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Misri said escalation started from that side (Pakistan) with the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

"Our approach is not to escalate the situation, we only responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack," he said.

On de-escalation of the situation, Misri said, "Pakistan escalated the situation, we only responded. Choice is with Pakistan."

He said at the UNSC meeting, Pakistan opposed mention of the role of terror group The Resistance Force (TRF) when it had already claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.

The foreign secretary also said the retaliatory actions of Pakistan are impacting civilians, referring to firings along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan's reputation as the centre of global terrorism is rooted in various terrorist attacks across the globe," Misri, flanked by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, said, adding Pakistan has been pursuing cross-border terrorism against India for decades.

He said India's action on Wednesday was restrained and it was confined to terrorist infrastructure.

Nikki Haley backs India

New York: Indian-American Republican leader Nikki Haley on Thursday said that India had “every right” to retaliate and defend itself after the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that Pakistan does not get to play the "victim".

"Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself. Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity," Haley said in a post on X.

Blackout and blast sounds

• Sounds resembling blasts caused panic in Jammu city late on Thursday evening as security forces detected Pakistani drones near the heavily-guarded airport here. It was not immediately known whether the airport, which also houses an Indian Air Force station, is under attack.

• Jammu plunged into darkness with electricity snapped soon after two powerful explosions were heard in the vicinity of the airport.

• A blackout was enforced in Punjab's Pathankot and Amritsar districts on Thursday evening. There were reports of a loud noise heard in Pathankot which some feared could be shelling from Pakistan but there was no confirmation.

• A loud sound, likely of shelling, was heard in Jaisalmer on Thursday, police sources said. A top officer confirmed that a sound was heard in Jaisalmer. Forces are on high alert and border districts remain under a blackout.

• The IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharmshala on Thursday was called off due to security reasons following air raid alerts in nearby areas, which forced a blackout in the hill town.

• A total blackout was enforced in several parts of the border districts of Kutch and Banaskantha in Gujarat. Both Kutch and Banaskantha districts share a border with Pakistan. Officials confirmed that several parts of Kutch, including Bhuj, Nalia, Nakhatrana and Gandhidham towns, have been put under total blackout as a precautionary measure to deter any offensive gesture by Pakistan.