New Delhi: On Thursday night, between 8 pm and 11.30 pm, Pakistan launched simultaneous drone attacks across several cities in India, Army sources said. Pakistan deployed around 500 small drones targeting 24 cities across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, the sources added.

The Indian Army and Air Force successfully thwarted Pakistan’s drone strikes using an array of anti-missile systems, including the L70, ZU-23, Schilka, and Akash.

Pakistan’s motive behind sending mostly unarmed drones may have been to spread panic among civilians or an attempt to gather intelligence on Indian military installations, the sources said. Islamabad escalated tension after India targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.

India emphasised that the mission- codenamed Operation Sindoor- was aimed at terrorists and avoided Pakistan military targets.

Pakistan, however, retaliated on May 8 by attempting to target several locations in India, including military sites in Jammu and Pathankot. India's air defence system intercepted the aerial barrage and neutralised it, preventing damage to any vital installation or any casualties.

Apart from swarm of drones, Pakistan also deployed missiles, which were promptly intercepted and blocked by India's air defence units.

"Eight missiles from Pakistan were directed at Satwari, Samba, R S Pura and Arnia.

All were intercepted and blocked by air-defence units.

Visuals over Jammu reminded exactly of a Hamas-style attack on Israel, like multiple cheap rockets," an Army official said.