A major aerial attack launched by Pakistan targeting Jammu was successfully thwarted late Thursday night by India’s air defence systems.

The attempted strike involved multiple drones and missiles, setting off air raid sirens and causing blackouts across parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Residents were urged to remain indoors as emergency protocols came into effect.

According to defence sources, the Indian Air Force intercepted eight missiles near Jammu and neutralised several drones close to the Jammu airport. No casualties have been reported so far.

The attack caused a temporary power outage at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district and similar blackouts were observed in Srinagar as part of heightened security measures.

In a significant escalation, an F-16 fighter jet from the Pakistan Air Force was shot down near its Sargodha air base by an Indian surface-to-air missile, NDTV reported, quoting unnamed sources.

This latest provocation came just hours after a failed Pakistani attempt to target 15 Indian cities. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that cities including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj were among the intended targets. Thanks to India’s integrated counter-UAS grid and strong air defence network, all incoming threats were neutralised. Debris collected across these regions confirmed the origin of the attack as Pakistani territory.

In a swift counterstrike, Indian armed forces launched targeted retaliatory action, reportedly destroying several Pakistani air defence installations, including a key site in Lahore.

Meanwhile, Pakistan continued its aggression by initiating heavy shelling across the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors. The use of artillery and mortars resulted in the tragic death of 16 civilians, including five children and three women. The Indian Army responded firmly and proportionately to this unprovoked attack.

Earlier in the week, India had conducted precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, eliminating nearly 100 terrorists across nine camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.