India thwarts Pak attempts to strike military sites in Jammu and Pathankot |Top Developments

Indian soldiers guard at a market in Srinagar.

Several locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, particularly Jammu Airport, which also houses an Indian Air Force station, and Pathankot Airbase came under attack after Pakistan resorted to heavy artillery shelling along with drone and loitering munition attacks.

The attempts were thwarted by the Indian Armed Forces as the S-400 air defence system intercepted and blocked at least eight missiles. Both Jammu Airport and Pathankot Airbase are reported to be completely safe.

Following the attacks, authorities ordered complete blackout in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Chandigarh. A blackout was ordered in Mohali and neighbouring Panchkula, which falls in Haryana as well.

News18 quoted sources as saying that, in response to multiple attempted aerial incursions involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), defensive systems were swiftly activated in the Jammu region.

Here are the top updates on the situation:

• Two Pakistani drones shot down by Indian Army Air Defence Units in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy exchange of artillery fire on between the two sides in the sector: Defence Sources to ANI.

• EAM Dr S Jaishankar tweets, "Discussed ongoing developments with Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission. India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response."

• Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff tweets, "Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means."

• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him about the situation.

• The locations targeted by Pakistan include Jammu Airport, Pathankot Airbase, Jaisalmer along with heavy shelling reported in Poonch and Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. The selection of cities by Pakistan clearly indicates that it attempted to attack major military installations of India.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is reviewing the situation with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to EAM Dr S Jaishankar, seeking de-escalation of the situation amid attacks by Pakistan.

• Heavy artillery shelling reported in Poonch tangdhar, Sambha, Kupwara, Keran and Uri.

• Eight missiles aimed at the Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and neighbouring areas were intercepted and neutralized by the S-400 air defence system.

• In an advisory, the Jammu police asked citizens “to switch off all types of lights during black out period. Stay indoors at safe places.” “No unnecessary vehicular movement should be taken,” it said.

• Border areas along the Line of Control and International border -- RS Pura, Arnia, Samba, Hiranagar -- are under heavy shelling.

• A local from Jammu confirmed to Moneycontrol that multiple loud explosions were heard in the city.

• Reports indicated that a series of blasts were heard across the Jammu region.

• Following the attacks, a complete blackout was reported in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur. Air raid sirens were also activated in Akhnoor and Kishtwar areas of the Jammu Division.A full blackout has been ordered in Jalandhar, Jaisalmer and several other cities across the three states.

VIDEO | Complete blackout being observed in Jammu after Pakistan made an attempt to target the city's airport.(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/NWONNkFXgl
Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 8, 2025

The attempts by Pakistan came after the Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out precise missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’.