Pakistan’s military announced on Thursday that it shot down 12 drones allegedly sent by India into its airspace.
This is coming a day after Indian strikes on targets within Pakistan raised fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals.
According to military spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the drones, identified as Israeli-made Harop UAVs, were intercepted over multiple locations, including Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan’s two largest cities. Debris from the drones is reportedly being recovered.
“Indian drones continue to violate our airspace”. “India will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression,” Chaudhry said during a press briefing. India’s Ministry of Defence has not issued a statement in response.
The drone incident follows India’s missile strikes early Wednesday on what it called “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan.
The strikes came two weeks after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Hindu pilgrims. India has accused Pakistan of involvement.
In response to the strikes, Pakistan claimed it had also downed five Indian aircraft.
However, the Indian embassy in Beijing dismissed those reports as misinformation.
Tensions remain high, with regional observers warning of the potential for further escalation between the long-time adversaries.
The United Nations and other international bodies have expressed concern over the escalating conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has offered to mediate between the two nations to de-escalate tensions.
