Drone Attacks Hit Jaisalmer, Barmer; Missile Fire Reported Near Jammu, Amritsar
New Delhi, 9th May 2025: India witnessed a second consecutive day of escalating hostilities as Pakistan intensified its cross-border aggression with drone and missile attacks targeting multiple regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab. The attacks come in the wake of India’s airstrike-led ‘Operation Sindoor’ and have led to heightened military alertness across border states.
J&K Under Fire in Multiple Sectors
On Friday evening, Pakistan began unprovoked firing in six sectors across Jammu and Kashmir — Uri, Tangdhar, Keran, Mendhar, Naugam, R.S. Pura, Arnia, and Poonch — marking a significant spike in ceasefire violations. Heavy shelling and small arms fire were reported from both sides, prompting immediate retaliation from Indian forces.
Rajasthan: Drone Attacks Hit Jaisalmer and Barmer
In western Rajasthan, Pakistani drones targeted sensitive areas in Jaisalmer and Barmer. Two drone attacks occurred in Pokhran within just half an hour — the first around 8:28 PM and the second at 9:02 PM. Another drone incursion was reported in Barmer, but India’s air defence systems successfully intercepted and shot down the UAVs before they could inflict damage.
This follows earlier missile and drone attacks by Pakistan on five Indian Army positions in Rajasthan between May 7 and 8, which were also neutralized mid-air by Indian defence forces.
Authorities have since issued a red alert in Barmer and Sriganganagar. Blackouts were imposed in Jaisalmer and surrounding districts including Phalodi and Jodhpur. In Pokhran, locals covered water taps and light sources to reduce visibility during air raid sirens.
Punjab Targeted Under Cover of Darkness
The Pakistani offensive extended deep into Punjab, where drones breached Indian airspace in districts like Ferozepur, Fazilka, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot during nighttime blackouts. Indian Army’s air defence system was activated, and multiple drones were intercepted, especially near the high-security zone of Khasa in Amritsar.
However, not all drones were neutralized. A house in Ferozepur’s Khai Seme village caught fire after a drone crash, injuring three civilians. In Gurdaspur, an explosion near the Kartarpur Corridor added to fears of targeting symbolic or strategic locations.
In response, blackouts were enforced across several districts including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Bathinda. Civilians were instructed to minimize light exposure and remain indoors.
Nation on High Alert
With drones and missile systems now being frequently deployed by Pakistan, Indian security agencies have placed all border areas on the highest alert. Army patrols have intensified along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, while civil defence drills are being activated in vulnerable zones.
Defence analysts warn that this marks a new phase of asymmetric warfare by Pakistan, leveraging low-cost drones to breach airspace and create panic, even as India’s defence systems remain largely successful in intercepting the threats.
Background: Operation Sindoor Triggers Retaliation
The fresh wave of Pakistani aggression appears to be in retaliation to India’s precision airstrike — Operation Sindoor — earlier this week, which targeted terror launchpads across the border following the massacre of 26 tourists in Pahalgam. Friday’s attacks mark the third such response from Pakistan within 48 hours.
