Fri May 09 17:10:00 UTC 2025: ## India Launches Retaliatory Strikes Across Pakistan After Drone Attacks
**NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD** – India launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes across multiple Pakistani cities on Saturday, following two consecutive days of drone attacks originating from Pakistan. The strikes targeted major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, with reports of significant explosions at the Nur Khan Air Base near Rawalpindi, a key Pakistan Air Force base and Pakistan Army headquarters. Additional explosions were reported in Shorkot and Jhang.
The Pakistani army confirmed that India targeted the Nur Khan Air Base, Muried Base, and Shorkot using aircraft. This follows Friday night’s attacks, where Pakistan launched at least 26 drone strikes across India, targeting cities from Jammu and Pathankot to Gujarat. While the Indian air defense system intercepted most drones, one reportedly struck a civilian area in Firozpur, resulting in serious injuries to a family member. Indian officials stated that drones were spotted across 26 locations, from Baramula in northern Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat.
The escalation follows a Wednesday operation by Indian armed forces targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to a deadly April 22nd terrorist attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have significantly escalated. Meanwhile, the White House has indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump is urging both countries to de-escalate the conflict. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levit stated that the President wants the conflict to diminish quickly, acknowledging the long-standing disputes between the two nations.
First Piper 