Hostilities between India and Pakistan reached a new high on Thursday after the Indian Armed Forces successfully downed a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet that attempted an airstrike near Jammu Airport, according to defence sources.
The aerial confrontation unfolded after Pakistan launched a wave of drone and missile attacks earlier in the day, targeting multiple areas across Jammu and Rajasthan. These included RS Pura, Channi Himmat, and surrounding civilian and military zones. Indian defence systems responded swiftly, intercepting at least eight hostile aerial objects, preventing any reported damage.
The Pakistani F-16, believed to have taken off from Sargodha airbase, was detected approaching Jammu and was neutralised by India’s air defence units before it could complete its mission. “The fighter jet was effectively intercepted and brought down before it could cause harm,” a senior defence official said.
Drone Activity Reported Over Rajasthan
Separately, Pakistani drones were spotted in the skies near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Defence personnel engaged the threat, successfully destroying the drones before they could pose a risk to infrastructure or civilians.
India’s Defence Systems Prove Effective
The multi-pronged response was facilitated by India’s robust aerial defence grid, which includes long-range S-400 Triumf systems and domestically developed Akash missiles. These systems were deployed across key points along the western border to counter such threats in real time.
This latest escalation follows Operation Sindoor, India’s recent counter-terror offensive in which nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were struck. The operation came in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
As tensions remain high, the defence forces are maintaining heightened surveillance across border regions, with India’s air defence teams on full alert for any further provocation.