World First: Pakistan Downs Israeli-Made Drone in Escalating Clash With India

Pakistan’s military confirmed Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed 25 Indian drones across multiple regions, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Bahawalpur, in what it described as a dangerous escalation of hostilities.

The downed drones were identified as Israeli-made Harop MK 2 models: high-altitude, surveillance-capable UAVs equipped with British engines.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s armed forces, warned that India’s increasingly provocative actions, coming just days after missile strikes that killed 31 civilians, pose a grave threat not only to regional peace but to international security. Pakistani officials say the interception marks the first successful takedown of this advanced drone model anywhere in the world.

Following Pakistan’s retaliation to earlier Indian airstrikes, during which several Indian fighter jets were reportedly downed, sources say the Indian Air Force has resorted to unmanned systems to avoid further pilot casualties. Pakistani forces remain on high alert, vowing a “firm and proportionate” response to any future aggression.