Daily Briefing: India strikes back; flight ops suspended at 32 Indian airports; IPL paused

The attacks continued well until this morning, with the Indian military thwarting Pakistan’s attempt at targeting the Air Force Station in Jammu. Intermittent explosions were heard in Pathankot, Srinagar, including near the airport, at 5.20 am, Baramulla at around 4.50 am, and Udhampur. Meanwhile, the Additional District Commissioner of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thappa, as well as two other civilians, died in heavy shelling by Pakistan in the DC colony of the Kashmir district.

The union government is scheduled to hold a detailed briefing on the attack launched by Pakistan and India’s retaliation at 10:30 am today. Follow our live blog here to stay updated!

View of the voluntarily black out in societies in Mohali and Kharar on Friday. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi)

From Baramulla to Bhuj: According to the Indian Army officials, Pakistani drones were sighted at 26 locations – from Baramulla in J&K to Bhuj in Gujarat – along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan last night. Underlining that these drones posed potential threats to civilian and military targets, the Army advised citizens to remain indoors and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. Like the night before, blackouts continued to remain enforced, and air raid sirens blared across the border districts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Civilians injured: Punjab’s Ferozepur district, a high-security zone housing a major cantonment, witnessed a series of alarming incidents last night. At least three drones reportedly fell in residential areas, causing three people to sustain burn injuries and damage to several houses.

The key base, Pathankot: An intense counter engagement by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force air defence units took place after Pakistan attacked the critical garrison town of Punjab and a key forward air base of the IAF, Pathankot. The attack, which began around 8.45 pm, lasted close to half an hour, during which multiple loud explosions were heard and anti-aircraft firing was observed in the night sky.

Rescuers and security personnel inspect a residential building damaged by a Pakistan’s drone attack in Jammu. (AP Photo)

‘Emptied out’: In Uri, nearly 2,000 people were evacuated from the region on Friday, after it witnessed an intense bout of artillery firing from across the Line of Control on Thursday night. The shelling left a woman dead, four civilians injured, and several houses damaged in Uri.

A similar situation prevailed in the border town of Poonch, after it became the target of intense shelling by Pakistani troops on Wednesday. Officials say 16 civilians, including five children, died in the barrage of artillery fire, the likes of which they haven’t witnessed since the 1971 war. The shelling also hit a place of worship, an educational institution, a forest department office and a bus stand. The town now lies deserted, its residents having moved to safer locations.

⚡ Only in Express

The nine targets inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that India attacked as part of Operation Sindoor on May 7 aren’t merely a hit on the neighbour’s terror infrastructure; it has substantial symbolic value for India’s war on terror. Of the nine camps, at least two of them – the Muridke headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Bahawalpur base of the Jaish-e-Mohammed — have been on the radar of Indian security agencies for their role in planning and coordinating a series of attacks on Indian soil over the years. Here’s why these two locations are crucial for India.

Wreckage of munition from Pakistan, found after being destroyed by air defence units following an attack from the neighbouring country, in Amritsar. (X/@adgpi via PTI Photo)

💡 Express Explained

Pakistan’s attempted drone incursion in 36 military and civilian sites between the intervening night of Thursday and Friday likely involved Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones. Turkey maintains an extensive partnership with Pakistan that is in stark contrast to its antagonistic expressions towards India, both rhetorically and substantively. It was the only Pakistani ally in West Asia to condemn Operation Sindoor explicitly. At the same time, other Gulf countries not only refrained from backing Pakistan but also showed greater sensitivity to India’s position on Kashmir. What makes Turkey different? We explain.

✍️ Express Opinion

In our Opinion section today, Anju Gupta highlights the need for India to resolve issues with Pakistan, “once and for all,” as tensions escalate between the two nations. Gupta writes: “This “limited” near-war is surely going to add to that legacy for generations on both sides. In order to become a developed country, India needs to resolve the Pakistan issue once and for all. The current near-war may be an opportunity to revisit the legacy of past wars while crafting a well-thought-out and patient response to achieve “strategic peace” with Pakistan.”

⏳ And Finally…

Amid the escalating tensions with Pakistan, you might want to check with your airline for cancellation or rescheduling updates of your flights. India has announced a temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for civil aircraft operations. The operations will remain suspended till 5:29 am Indian time on May 15. Industry sources indicated that the closure of airports in northern and western India due to the conflict is leading to the cancellation of over 400 flights a day. Security at all the operational Indian airports has been stepped up to the highest level.

Smoke rises following an alleged explosion at Mia Bagh area amidst attack from Pakistan, in Udhampur, J&K, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (PTI Photo)

‘Dissent’: Significantly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Friday cleared a $1-billion tranche for Pakistan as part of its $7-billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program and $1.3 billion tranche under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). India, however, abstained from voting and conveyed its “strong dissent” during the board meeting as it raised concerns over the efficacy of IMF programmes for Pakistan, given its “poor track record”, and also on the possibility of “misuse of debt financing funds for state-sponsored cross-border terrorism”.

A brief pause: In the wake of tensions at the border, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Friday suspended the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a week with immediate effect. A cloud of uncertainty loomed over IPL with the game between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Dharamsala being called-off around 9.35 pm on Thursday. “Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in the statement.

That’s all for today. Have a lovely weekend!

Until next time,
Ariba

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