An explosion has been reported at Jammu Airport in Indian-administered Kashmir. Locals have also reported hearing sirens and witnessing a blackout across Kashmir. The explosion occurred around 9:30 PM on Thursday (May 8).
A witness near the Gujjar Nagar Bridge in Jammu city told the BBC that he saw 16 objects lying near Jammu Airport.
On Tuesday night, after 1 AM, India launched an operation named "Operation Sindoor," targeting various installations in Pakistan's Punjab and Azad Kashmir. The missile strikes and gunfire resulted in the death of 31 people and injured 57 others. Meanwhile, the Indian Army stated that Pakistani forces fired shells near the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday night.
The BBC, quoting AFP, reported that a blackout is ongoing across Kashmir, with people seen running for safety. Locals mentioned hearing the sound of sirens. An Indian Army source informed the BBC that security measures have been activated in Jammu, which is why air sirens are sounding throughout the city.
India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that Pakistan used drones and missiles to target many military installations in India's northern and western regions. All these drones and missiles were neutralized by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defense System.
The statement further mentioned that Pakistan launched drones and missiles targeting many military installations in northern and western India, including Avantipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. Their debris is now being collected.
Meanwhile, after India's attack, Pakistan claimed on Thursday to have shot down five Indian fighter jets. A spokesperson for the Pakistani military stated that among them were three French-made Rafales, one Russian-made Su-30, and one MiG-29. The Su-30 and MiG-29 are Soviet-era aircraft.
The Pakistani military stated that its armed forces have so far destroyed 25 drones and are collecting their debris from various locations. An ISPR spokesperson mentioned that Indian drones were sent towards Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Attock, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Chor, and Karachi in Pakistan.
Since the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating, leading to retaliatory attacks.