India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate: Pakistan Shells Kupwara, Baramulla; Civilians Evacuated

A sharp escalation in cross-border hostilities was reported along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan initiating artillery and small arms fire in multiple sectors, prompting a strong and proportionate response from the Indian Army, according to PTI reports.

On the night between May 7 and 8, Pakistani forces shelled areas in Kupwara and Baramulla districts, specifically targeting the Boniyar and Tangdhar sectors. Further shelling was reported in Uri and Akhnoor regions. While no casualties have been reported so far, the shelling caused panic among the civilian population, especially in the Karnah area, where residents were seen relocating to safer areas a day earlier.

The escalation follows India’s execution of Operation Sindoor, a precision military strike targeting terror infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). According to defense sources, nine terrorist facilities were neutralized deep within Pakistani territory during the operation.

In retaliation, Pakistan attempted to strike military installations across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles. Targeted locations reportedly included Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

On Thursday morning, the Indian Armed Forces launched a calibrated response, targeting Pakistan’s air defense infrastructure. Reliable sources confirm that an air defense system located in Lahore was neutralized as part of India's counter-strike.

The Indian government has emphasized that its response matched Pakistan’s in domain and intensity, underscoring a policy of firm retaliation against hostile acts across the LoC.