India, Pakistan Exchange Strikes in Worst Cross-Border Escalation in Decades

Tensions between India and Pakistan reached a critical point Thursday night as Pakistan launched a wave of drone and missile attacks on Indian military targets across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. India responded swiftly, activating a blackout across border regions and intercepting most incoming threats using advanced air defense systems, including the S-400.

The escalation followed India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 Hindu tourists. India also reportedly struck Pakistani military positions in Sialkot, Lahore, and possibly Islamabad using drones.

Missiles were intercepted over Jammu’s Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, while drone attacks were confirmed in Pathankot, Udhampur, and Jalandhar. No casualties or major damage were reported. Visuals from the night showed missile trails and explosions lighting up the sky as air raid sirens wailed and schools in affected areas shut down.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar briefed US and EU officials, stressing India’s strikes were targeted and defensive. A Saudi envoy also arrived in Delhi for urgent talks. While Pakistan claimed contact between national security advisers, India denied this.

India warned any further escalation by Pakistan would trigger a strong response. The last time India struck so deeply into Pakistan’s Punjab province was during the 1971 war. With both countries on high alert, the risk of further conflict remains high.