'Hamas style': Defence experts sound alarm over shift in Pakistan’s low-cost missile barrage

The latest missile barrage intercepted over Indian airspace has drawn sharp comparisons to recent Hamas-style assaults witnessed in Israel, according to defence experts, PTI reported. The salvo of simultaneous projectile launches — characteristic of militant strategies — has heightened scrutiny among Indian security analysts, who see a deliberate shift in Pakistan’s military tactics.

The attempted missile strike, coupled with signs of foreign collaboration, is being closely monitored by Indian security agencies. While the missiles were successfully neutralized, officials assert that this operation signals a calculated shift in strategy rather than a rogue incident.

Defence establishments across Jammu and Kashmir have been placed on heightened alert. Surveillance operations and missile defence protocols have been intensified, aimed at detecting and neutralizing threats before they can impact civilian populations.

In a major escalation, Pakistan launched a coordinated offensive on Jammu and Kashmir within hours of the failed attempt to target 15 Indian cities. Shelling has intensified across key border zones along the Line of Control and International Border—including RS Pura, Arnia, Samba, and Hiranagar—while Jammu, the winter capital, is now under aerial attack.

Eight missiles were launched at RS Pura, Arnia, Samba, and Hiranagar—regions with significant military presence—but were all intercepted by India’s Air Defence Units.

Punjab’s Pathankot, a strategically vital city just 30 km from the International Border, has also come under intense artillery fire. The city serves as a critical military gateway to Jammu.

To mitigate risks, blackout orders have been enforced in the border regions of Jammu and Kashmir, along with Chandigarh, Ferozepur, Mohali, and Gurdaspur in Punjab, as well as parts of Rajasthan, another border state.

In retaliation, the Indian Army has launched targeted strikes on Pakistan’s Sialkot and Bajwa sectors in response to Islamabad’s unprovoked aggression in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.