Pakistan army shoots down 29 Israeli-made Harop drones used by India

• ISPR says India resorted to deploying drones after panic.
• Two more drones downed near Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan.
• India will pay dearly for this naked aggression: DG ISPR. 

Pakistan army shot down at least 29 Israeli-manufactured Harop drones following a series of provocative attacks by India, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the aftermath of the attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continue to escalate.

"Pakistan Armed forces have so far shot down 25 Harop drones using both soft-kill (technical) and hard-kill (weapons-based) systems," said a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.

Later in the day, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at least 29 Indian drones had been shot down so far, while three people were martyred in the latest attacks.

It said that the escalation follows India’s cowardly assault on May 6 and May 7, "which resulted in the destruction of five advanced aircraft, drones, multiple military posts, and reported casualties among Indian troops".

In a state of panic and confusion, the ISPR said, India resorted to deploying Israeli-made Harop drones for attacks on Pakistani territory.

“These unprovoked attacks are a clear reflection of India’s desperation and frustration, as it continues to suffer significant losses along the Line of Control (LoC)," it added.

Debris of the downed Israeli drones is being recovered from various locations across Pakistan, the military’s media wing added. 

"Pakistan Armed Forces are responding with full force, thwarting all hostile designs and delivering a decisive response to the enemy’s aggression," it concluded. 

India launched strikes on Pakistan and AJK early Wednesday morning — an assault that Islamabad called a "blatant act of war".

Islamabad said six Pakistani locations, from mosques to hydropower projects, were targeted. At least 31 civilians, including children, were martyred and 57 sustained injuries after India launched an unprovoked and devious attack at six locations — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot and Shakkargarh in Punjab and Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Azad Kashmir.

In retaliation, the Pakistan armed forces shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, seven drones, destroyed a brigade headquarters and a number of checkposts along the Line of Control (LoC).

'Two more drones downed'

Separately, the Pakistan armed forces shot down two Indian drones that violated its airspace near Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan.

Security sources told Geo News that both drones were detected on radar systems and were promptly locked and neutralised by Pakistan’s air defence units.

“The drones were precisely targeted after confirming their hostile trajectory within Pakistani territory,” said a senior security official.

The officials stated that both drones had crossed into Pakistan in a serious violation of its sovereignty. “These were not routine surveillance drones — they posed a potential threat and were treated as such,” one official added.

Following the shootdowns, a thorough search operation was launched in the surrounding areas to recover debris and assess any potential secondary threats.

Security officials said Pakistan’s defensive response was swift and measured, demonstrating the readiness and capability of its armed forces to respond to any act of aggression.

'India will pay dearly'

Speaking at press briefing early today, Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistan’s armed forces had neutralised 12 drones sent by India since last night.

He also stated that four army personnel were injured as one drone, besides those downed, managed to engage a military target partially.

The ISPR DG detailed the locations where 12 of those drones sent by India were neutralised — Lahore, Attock, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur in Punjab, as well as Sukkur’s Miano, Umerkot’s Chhor and near Karachi in Sindh.

“Other than these 12, one drone, however, managed to engage a military target near Lahore partially,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said. “Four men of the Pakistan Army have been injured in this attack near Lahore and partial damage to equipment has occurred,” he added.

Recalling that the Indian army faced “destruction of five of their aircraft and suffering heavy casualties along the Line of Control and damage”, the DG ISPR said India has “apparently lost the plot”.

“Rather than going on a path of rationality, it is further escalating in a highly charged environment to satisfy the hubristic mindset of the Indian government,” he said.

“The international community can visibly see the path that India is treading through this extremely provocative military aggression in a region that is right now highly fragile and putting the security of the region and beyond at risk. “Pakistan armed forces remain fully vigilant to any type of threat,” he added.

He said there should be no doubt that India is paying dearly — and will continue to pay dearly — for this naked aggression and reckless military adventurism.