Operation Sindoor: Indian Army Confirms Befitting Reply Was Given, Issues Statement On Pakistan’s Failed Attack

On Thursday evening, the Indian Armed Forces stopped new attacks by Pakistan, which tried to hit northern and western Indian cities using drones and missiles. Sources say that at least eight missiles were shot down by Indian defence systems. All airports across India have been put on high alert due to rising security concerns.

The attacks were reported in Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir. In response, sirens were sounded, defence systems were activated, and blackouts were enforced in many areas to protect civilians. Sources also claim that an F-16 fighter jet from Pakistan was shot down by Indian forces, but there is no official confirmation yet.

On the night of May 8, 2025, a blackout (power shut-off) was done in many districts of Punjab to stay safe during the ongoing tension with Pakistan. The blackout happened in places like Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Rupnagar, Fazilka, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, and even in Chandigarh, which is a Union Territory.

These events happened just a few hours after India announced it had already stopped Pakistan’s earlier plan to attack 15 cities using drones and missiles on the same night. India also destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore, sources said.

On Wednesday morning, India had launched 24 missiles in 25 minutes targeting nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). This was a response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam (J&K) on April 22, which killed 26 people.

To prepare for any future threats, security drills were also conducted across 244 districts in India for better civil defence in case of a hostile attack.

Before this attack, India had carried out a secret military operation in Pakistan during the night of May 7. Indian Army and Air Force together destroyed nine terrorist camps of groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. After this, Pakistan started heavy shelling in civilian areas like Akhnoor.

To deal with the situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with top security officials. The focus was on ensuring that the Border Security Force (BSF) and other forces are fully ready to defend important areas like Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and Jaisalmer.

Due to the situation, the Punjab government has decided that all schools, colleges, and universities — whether government, private, or aided — will stay closed for the next three days across the entire state. In Jammu and Kashmir, the government also took safety steps. On May 8, it announced that all educational institutions in the Union Territory will be closed for the next two days. Also, senior officers have been given special responsibility in border districts to make sure communication stays clear and fast if any emergency happens.