Mutual accusations by India and Pakistan of attacks using drones are heightening fears of large-scale military clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
A Pakistani military spokesman said that the Indian military carried out drone strikes on Pakistan between Wednesday evening and Thursday. He said that 25 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down, but two civilians were killed, one of who was in the eastern province of Punjab.
The Indian government issued a statement accusing Pakistan of using drones and missiles against a number of military targets in the north and west of the country between Wednesday evening and Thursday.
The statement also said that the Indian military targeted radars and air defence systems “at several locations in Pakistan” on Thursday morning. It claimed that the air defence system in the eastern city of Lahore had been “neutralised.”
Indian media reported that Pakistan launched new attacks on Thursday evening, including strikes using drones.
Indian and Pakistani military forces stationed in the disputed Kashmir region also engaged in sporadic fighting across the de facto border between the two countries.
A fierce battle in the air
One of the largest air battles in recent history took place between Indian and Pakistani fighter jets, according to the American television channel CNN, citing a source in the Pakistani special services.
According to the source, a total of 125 fighter jets fought for over an hour, with neither side leaving its airspace and missile strikes occurring at a distance of up to 160 km.
According to the TV channel’s source, neither side was prepared to send its fighter jets into the other’s airspace due to the risk of being destroyed over enemy territory. In 2019, an Indian Air Force pilot was shot down over Pakistan, survived and was used by Islamabad for propaganda purposes — he was shown on television as a trophy. This time, neither side wanted such humiliation.
Pakistan claims that five Indian fighter jets were shot down in the battle, but CNN has not specified their make and model.
